Sweet Illusions
by Pokeluv101
Summary: Erika's one dream was to attend Hatta's Magical Academy but her parents were set on seeing her in an arranged marriage. Her only choice was to create a fake boyfriend. Kyouya didn't want to bother with such a troublesome girl but her unique magic could be the key to breaking the curse placed on him. {Kyouya and Erika/AU}
1. Black Prince

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

Erika stared at the letter before her in disbelief. Her heart was racing faster than it did when she was opening the letter that determined her entire future. She waited months for the letter and prayed for the answer she saw before her now. _Congratulation Erika Shinohara, you have been accepted to Hatta's Magical Academy._

"I did it!" Happy tears filled her eyes when she touched the ink to confirm that the words were real. Not able to contain her excitement any longer, she jumped to her feet and hugged the letter to her chest. This was the first step to her dream of becoming a great wizard. Her magical ability was weak at the moment but the academy was her chance to improve herself.

"Mom! Dad!" She ran out of her room to where her parents were in the living room. She hadn't told them about applying to the Magical Academy since she wanted it to be a surprise. While her parents weren't impressed by magic, the subject took up most of Erika's mind. They found power in money and Erika knew they wouldn't understand her love for magic.

She was the daughter of a merchant and expected to marry into another wealthy family. But Erika didn't want to become a wife. For the longest time she didn't know what she wanted to do until that fateful day she met a boy in the woods that introduced her to magic. From that day on she worked to become a wizard.

She had to write several reports and pass an aptitude test to be admitted so she hoped her parents would see how dedicated she was. Erika didn't understand why her parents were against her learning magic when she was born with the wonderful ability to do magic. She was lucky that her best friend, Sanda, was able to teach her how to use her magic. But her parents couldn't deny her ability now!

"I've been accepted!" She cheered when she entered the living room and held out the letter to them. They stared at her in confusion for a moment until it turned to horror as they scanned the words. Her father forcefully ripped the letter from her hands and Erika stepped back for a moment. She knew they would be mad that she didn't tell them but she didn't think they would be as mad as they were now.

"What is the meaning of this?" Her father asked her and Erika was rendered silent for a moment. How could she answer them without provoking them further? "You are a Shinohara and we do not bother with something like magic. Our family is rooted in the steel trading business and as our only child you will inherit our business. You do not have time to play with magic."

"But I don't want to be a merchant!" Erika found herself screaming before she could stop herself. While her father seemed to be seething, her mother was calm so Erika turned to her. "I want to become a wizard and I have the ability to be one! The fact that they accepted me shows that so please let me go to the academy. I'm not a teenager anymore so I can make my own decisions."

"Yes, you are not a teenager anymore but you must remember that as a Shinohara we don't have a choice. The king depends on our family for the country's trade and we cannot break that trust on a childish whim. As our successor you will follow the path we set out for you. We understand that you might not have the knowledge to run our business but we already accounted for that."

"What do you mean?" Erika was almost afraid to ask but she needed to know. She wouldn't give up her dream of going to the academy but she needed time to think of a way to convince them to let her go. No matter what they said, this was a dream she wouldn't compromise on.

"You are to marry into another trading family." Her father started. "With our families joined, new trade routes will open. Our family will maintain control over the business of course. You will produce a son and I will train him to take over our trading business. After that you can do whatever you wish. Of course we are still looking for a suitable suitor for you-"

"I already love someone!" Erika blurted the first excuse she could think of. While her father was very political, her mother believed in marrying for love. While lying about being in love might not convince them to let her go to the academy, it would get her out of an arranged marriage. "There's someone at the school that I love and want to be with. I love him!"

Erika hoped they would believe her lie as a silence fell over them. She knew that she shouldn't lie to her parents but she didn't know how else to convince them. Her mother always told her that the one true thing in life was love and Erika loved magic. She loved casting spells ever since that first she discovered it. She let out a breath of relief when her mother spoke.

"We can't force her to marry if she loves another. If this academy gives them a chance to be together, she should be allowed to go to the academy." Erika inwardly cheered at her mother's words. That glee was short lived when her mother stated the obvious hole in her plan. "Do you have a portrait of him? We can also go to your academy's orientation to meet him."

Erika tried not to panic and forced a smile. "Of course, I have a photo in my room!"

Fortunately, she thought of a way to continue her lie. She made sure to close her door behind her so her parents wouldn't be able to see her. All she needed was a picture and a man, something she could make with her illusion magic. While her special ability wasn't very practical, she found it very useful now. She smiled to herself at the thought that her dream was so close to her now.

"_Demonstra mihi vestis paper hominem ad imaginem suam accederet Academia magia_." She took out a blank paper and an ink jar from her desk. Erika concentrated on the ink as she placed an incantation on it. After the ink glowed slightly, she poured the ink over the paper. The ink spread until it covered the paper and faded to the image of a handsome man.

The man in the picture was rather handsome and tilted her head at the name signed in the bottom corner, Kyouya Sata. The man had intriguing crimson eyes and she wondered if a man could have such a strange eyes colour. She didn't think much more about it and went to show the portrait to her parents.

Now she only needed to create an illusion for them to meet at the orientation then she would be able to study magic. Her parents would be too busy to visit the academy so they wouldn't discover her lie. With that in mind, she went down to face her parents without knowing the truth about the man in the photo.

* * *

"I honestly thought your parents wouldn't let you come to the academy." Erika's best friend, Sanda, told her when they had a moment alone at the orientation.

"It was hard convincing them," Erika admitted with a shaky laugh. She was glad that her parents were busy talking with the professors so she could speak with Sanda freely. "But I got my mother to agree by saying that my boyfriend went to school here. I knew my mother would say that I should be with the one I love so I made up a boyfriend."

Erika handed the photo to Sanda who raised a brow at it. She was about to continue to explain her plan when Sanda commented, "this man looks familiar. When you were casting your spell, did you remember to cast it so that it would show a false image of a man? If you didn't, then the ink will show an actual student at the academy."

Erika thought back to the spell she used and unfortunately crashed into her answer. She stumbled back after bumping into the person but didn't tumble to the floor. Instead, she felt a strong arm around her waist, catching her before she could fall. She started to stutter a quick thank before she looked up to see intense eyes staring down at her in concern- the same intense crimson eyes as the ones in the photo.

"Damn it!" Erika screamed and Kyouya didn't know how to react for a moment. He never had a woman give him such a reaction. Her large brown eyes reminded him of a scared puppy as they darted around the room until they landed on an older couple. As they started to walk towards her, she grabbed his arm and started running. "I'm sorry about this sir!"

Erika had never run so fast in her life but by the time she ran out of energy she found herself in the courtyard outside the academy. She looked back to the man she had dragged behind her but couldn't read his expression. He no doubt thought she was crazy and she didn't blame him. To her surprise, he didn't look angry when he asked. "Do you want to tell me why you dragged me out here?"

"I'm sorry," was the only thing Erika could start with. She slumped onto the bench near them and thought of how to explain her lie to him. As she was thinking, the man sat next to her. He didn't say a word, allowing her to gather her thoughts and she found that comforting. As she worried over everything, she felt something on her forehead.

"You're sweating." The thing she felt on her forehead was a handkerchief. He gently wiped the sweat from her brow and the gesture made her heart race. He was looking down at her with such kind eyes that she couldn't help but think of the fairy tales her mother read to her when they were little. He could be the prince to save her from her parents and free her. "I'm Kyouya Sata. If you want, you can talk to me."

"My name's Erika," She purposely left out her surname so he wouldn't know about her family ties. He seemed kind enough so she started to explain the situation to him. She didn't know how he would react but knew that her lie was over and she would have to face her parents. "I didn't mean to drag you into this. I just wanted to learn magic."

"I see… I think I get the gist of your story. You're an illusion wizard? That's a rare ability and takes a lot of skill to master," He noted and she nodded proudly. Erika didn't tell him that she was hopeless when it came to any other kind of magic. His next words shocked her though. "So all you need is me to pretend to be your boyfriend?"

"You would do that for me?" Erika jumped to her feet, full of energy again. She didn't know why he would agree to help her so she could only assume that it was out of the kindness of his heart. Even if it was out of pity she was truly thankful for his offer to help her. To think there was such a kind person that would go out of his way to help a complete stranger and-

"Then turn three times and say 'woof'." Erika was shocked by the cold voice behind her and how it had come from a voice that was so kind only a moment ago. She turned to look at Kyouya but there was an ominous aura around him now. He tilted hard ruby eyes up to her, "Do you think I would do something so troublesome for free?"

He stood and she didn't realized how tall he was until he was standing over her now. "It seems like we can solve each other's problems. You need a boyfriend and I need a dog. If you're willing to agree to my terms, I'll help you with your farce. I don't care either way if you accept or not so I won't tell your parents the truth if they approach me but I won't lie to them either."

She didn't know how to make sense of the paradox he said. Why did he even want a dog? Gone was the prince she saw only a moment ago and before her now was a man with cold, indifferent eyes. But weather it was the prince or sadist before her, her answer would be the same. "Who would agree to that? Of course I'm not going to be your dog! You ba-"

"Erika, why did you run off like that?" Erika turned at her mother's voice behind her and she cursed her ever increasing bad luck. Why was the world damning her over one lie when all she wanted was to learn magic? She quickly looked to Kyouya but his face was indifferent. With her mother quickly approaching her, she made a rush decision.

"Woof!" She screamed as she took his hand. Emotion finally appeared on his face but she didn't know if she should trust the kindness his smile suggested. She refused to turn in a circle for him but at the moment she had no choice but to play along with him a little. She had no intention to be his dog and there was no way he could force her to be one. Once her parents left, they would never meet each other again.

"You actually agreed?" Erika's brow twitched when he chuckled. His dark smile quickly changed to a kind one when her mother reached their side. She seemed oblivious to the situation since she continued to smile at the pair. Erika had to wonder about Kyouya since he was able to change his attitude so quickly. He didn't hesitate before placing an arm around her shoulder.

"You must Erika's mother. She has told me a lot about you." Kyouya smiled charmingly at her mother and shook her hand like a gentleman. "I must apologize for not being able to meet you sooner but I have been rather busy. Erika was just telling me how excited she was to be attending the same academy as me. Thank you for letting her attend and I'll make sure she's taken care of."

"Of course I can't say no when my daughter's happiness is at stake. You don't need to worry about your father. I'll talk to him so you won't have to marry someone you don't love." Her mother said with determination. Kyouya fought back a laugh as he watched mother and daughter interact, exchanging trusting smiles. What a falsehood it all was.

"But now I understand why you wanted to keep your relationship a secret. It must be difficult to maintain a relationship with a prince without adding the social pressure that comes with it." Her mother noted and Erika eyes went to Kyouya immediately but he didn't react. A prince? Surely someone as heartless as Kyouya couldn't be a prince.

Unfortunately, her mother continued to shock her further. "I was so proud of you for finding a suitable match on your own that I told everyone in the hall! They were shocked but I told them that you wouldn't lie to me. Some of my old friends are professors here so I asked them to keep an eye on you and tell me how you two love birds are doing."

Erika's heart stopped knowing that her mother was going to be keeping track of her. She thought that her lie would end with this one meeting but now she needed to lie to the entire academy. Her mother was staring at her so trustingly that she could respond. What was she going to do now that she dug herself an even deeper hole?

* * *

"What are you going to do now?" Kyouya asked Erika once her parents left. They were sitting on the roof of the academy and she stared into the distance at her parents' carriage leaving. Kyouya invited her to the roof saying that they needed to talk in private. "Are you going to continue with this lie of yours or are you going to tell them the truth?"

She didn't know if he was giving her a way out or something else but considering the circumstances she couldn't find a way out of her hole besides lying further. If she doesn't continue her lie, everyone in the academy would look down on her and even worst they would look down on her parents as well. She would be force to leave the academy she dreamed of and marry a man she never knew.

"Why did I tell such a stupid lie?" Erika whispered to herself and leaned her forehead against the gate framing the roof. Once again her impulsive nature forced her into a corner but this time the consequences were more than she could handle. She was thinking so deeply about her situation that she didn't notice Kyouya stand next to her.

"What is magic to you?" He asked her. Kyouya had been silent the entire time and she was surprise the first thing he said to her was unrelated to their situation. She thought he would laugh at her misfortune, considering how cruel he was earlier. His face was expressionless so she could only assume that he was teasing her and felt irritation take over her sadness.

"Happiness," She gave him the same answer a boy told her when she was young. She smiled as she remembered the boy that introduced her to magic. Kyouya's eyes widened at her answer before he began chuckling. How dare he laugh at her answer when he was the one that asked her? She couldn't stand the thought of anyone laughing at something she loved.

Erika puffed her cheek and created the image of a star in her cupped hand. "With my magic I can make people happy. I can show people something beautiful and even if it's an illusion that happiness they feel is real. My magic isn't powerful or practical but if I can use it to help others, I'm happy. Why are you laughing? What is magic to you?"

He stopped laughing when she threw back the question at him. His tone was low when he answered, "I don't know but I know that it doesn't bring happiness."

Kyouya's eyes were cold and she stopped to wonder what could've caused him to speak of magic such. He was attending the Hatta's academy so he must be studying magic. She didn't know what kind of magic he used so thought of any kind of magic that could bring the user pain. It couldn't be dark magic because the academy would allow a dark user to attend the academy.

"But it seems like helping you would be entertaining to say the least?" His words brought Erika out of her thoughts. "If magic is really important to you then I'll pretend to be your boyfriend on the condition that you become my dog. We'll be helping each other so it's a fair trade."

After a moment, Erika asked. "What so you mean by saying that I need to be your dog? You can't force me to do anything crazy like… you know, anything a real couple would do! You must feel like you can do whatever you want because you're a prince but-"

"I'm not a prince and I'm no richer than you are," Kyouya interrupted her. "That's just a stupid nickname our peers gave me."

"Because of your stupid act?" She remembered how she was fooled by it only a moment ago. She thought he was kind and charming like a prince but now she could see he was tarnished. If only they knew the dark prince he truly was. If only he wasn't the only person capable of helping her stay in the academy and maintaining her family's name.

"I hate to say it but I don't have a choice but to accept." She held out her hand in a sign of agreement. When he took it, she tightened her grip and made the most threatening smirk she could. "But know that even if illusions are my specialty I can still use offensive magic. I am the most powerful wizard in my family and I won't hesitate to turn you to ash with fire."

Kyouya chuckled and placed a hand on her head. His touch was much gentler than she thought it would be after seeing his true dark prince side. She didn't know why his usual cruel smile looked teasing now. "How many lies can one wolf girl tell in one day? Don't try to get in too much trouble since we're going to be in a fake relationship now."

He turned to walk back into the school and gave her a small wave. Erika placed a hand on her head, still feeling the warmth of his hand. Who was the dark prince truly?

* * *

Kyouya closed the door behind him and leaned against it. He clutched his chest where his heart throbbed in cold pain. While Erika was impulsive when telling her lie, he was stupid for agreeing to help her. But the words that cursed him echoed in his ear now and he pushed himself off the wall.

Maybe with her magic she could be the one to save him from the curse placed on him years ago.

_Dark heart covered by ice, you will know nothing but the storm, until you can see a sweet illusion for what it truly is._

* * *

**I don't know if I'm going to continue this but I thought of this idea when I was thinking about the first chapter of the manga. While I like the manga I had to admit that it had a really weak opening so I thought about how I could improve it. The main issue (to me) was Erika's motivation so I tried to create a better one for her and give her decision more stakes.**

**Since I don't want to do a complete retelling so this is going to be an AU and won't follow the manga point for point but I'll keep everything in character. I also change the setting to a magic academy since I love my fantasy :P**


	2. False Love

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

"As if my day could get any worse," Erika sighed to herself as she stood in the entrance of the academy. It was raining heavily but she needed to return to the girl's dorm before curfew. First she had to sit through a useless history class and now she had to walk through the rain. She wanted to learn more practical uses for her magic and being able to create an umbrella was something she currently needed.

"I guess I have no choice," Erika resigned herself to running through the rain. She couldn't bother Sanda by calling her friend to bring her an umbrella. Anyways, if she stayed any longer than she might run into the one person that could make her day worse.

Just as she was about to take a step into the rain, a hand grabbing her wrist stopped her. She knew who it was before she turned to face him. Kyouya was the only person that would take her hand so easily. His smile was easy and she forced herself to return one of her own, fully aware of how his mere presence attracted attention to her.

"It's raining so let me walk you back to your dorm," Kyouya offered as any kind boyfriend would. He took off the cloak he wore over his uniform and held it above their heads to use as a makeshift umbrella. There was nothing but love in his eyes when he told her. "I'm glad that I caught you before you left. I would hate it if you caught a cold while walking alone."

"You're always there for me, Kyouya. Thank you." She leaned closer to him and they started to walk towards the dorms together. Erika could hear the envious whispers around her and tried to ignore them. She knew that everyone around them could only see a happy and supportive couple deeply in love. It was a relationship anyone would be jealous of.

But it was all based on a lie.

"What kind of idiot tries to walk in the rain? Are you trying to get yourself sick?" Kyouya criticised when they made enough distance from the academy. Now that they were out of earshot from the other students, he let his kind façade disappear. This was the devil she signed her soul to for the chance to study magic. The blunt, tactless man that was Kyouya Sata.

It had been a week since they started their charade but she still felt uncomfortable around him. She was certain that no amount of time would endear him to his current character, considering how rude he was. He picked her up from class and they ate together but whenever they had a private moment she was reminded that those acts of kindness were just that: an act.

"Hey, stop moving. You're going to get me wet." He jerked his cloak so that it would cover him more. Since she was holding onto the edge of the cloak to keep it over her head, she was pulled closer to his side. Erika was ready to snap at him and he kept testing her patients. "As my dog you, should do what if best for her master."

"I am a human!" She wished that the road to the dorm wasn't so long and empty. How anyone could think of him as a prince was beyond her but then again she knew very little of what he was like before he came to the academy. Having more pride than sense, she walked out from the protection of the cloak. "I'm not going to walk so close to a person I barely know. How do I know that you won't try anything?"

"Who would want to look at their dog in that way?" Kyouya laughed and she turned sharply at him. She was ready to yell another retort at him but he walked towards her until they were so close she could see herself in his eyes. He held the cloak over them once again. "But I can't have people asking why you caught a cold so just let me walk you home. If you want, just stand a foot away from me."

"We really could've avoided this if you just treated me like an actual human." Erika sighed. The only reason he was showing any kindness to her now was to avoid risking his princely reputation. The thought of using that to blackmail him came to her mind but he would just threaten to reveal the true nature of their relationship in turn.

She didn't want a repeat of their previous argument so interrupted him before he could call her a dog again. "I heard from my friend that you're in an advance class. What kind of magic do you use?"

"Don't bother talking to me about magic. I don't bother to use something so unreliable to solve my problems. Trying to use magic to solve your problems only makes it worse." He answered her with a frown and she wondered why he was attending the magical academy when he didn't want to bother with magic. But the way he spoke made her think that there was a reason for his thinking.

Erika didn't know if she should push him for an explanation since she wanted to be respectful but also wanted to defend magic. She was saved from having to make a decision when she saw that they reached the girl's dorm. Once she was under the protection of the canopy, she turned to him. "Thank you for walking me back and letting me use your cloak."

"Just know that I'm going to charge you for dry cleaning." He grinned at her and she wondered if he enjoyed being so sadistic. But despite his cold words, she noticed that his right shoulder was drenched. Had he been holding his cloak in a way that it covered her more than him? While she wanted to believe that was the case she didn't know if it could be true.

"Is something wrong?" Erika notice his steps become uncertain. She followed his gaze to see what he was staring at and saw that it was an orthrus. It was tied to the door but it seemed to be tamed as well. Kyouya stared at it with a mixture of pain and sympathy. She knelt in front of the dog and petted it, "Do you think it's someone's familiar. Poor guy being stuck out here."

"I really like dogs," He said in a gentle voice which surprised her. She listened to him complained about so many things that annoyed him she was starting to think that there was anything he liked. Kyouya's hands were gentle when he loosened the collar around the orthrus even if they shook slightly. Maybe he was a kind person after all…

"Dogs are really pure. If you tell them to wait, they'll stay there for years like an idiot. No matter how hungry they get or how bad you treat them, they follow their master with their large eyes. He loves his master so much that he'll even endure this cold and wait. It's so cute it makes me sick."

"You're twisted," She found herself whispering and he gave her a confused look. He raised his hand and she flinched away from him.

"Be a smart dog and don't get attach to _anyone_." His didn't hurt her and raised her chin instead. Kyouya's red eyes were steady and she couldn't force herself to look away. "Love and magic are nothing more than sweet illusions. If you believe in either, you'll be hurt and left in the cold like this dog. You should take that advice too, dog, and leave your master."

Kyouya's last sentence was directed at the orthrus and he gave it another pitying look before leaving. Erika watched his receding back and continued to wonder about him. He spoke so cold but there was pain in his eyes too.

* * *

"Maybe you're a masochist," Erika chocked on the water she was drinking when Sanda made the comment. "I don't know anyone who would put up with as much as you are. I've been going to school with him for a year now and I never thought that he would be as cruel as you're saying but then again I've never spoken to him."

"He's the worst and the fact that he pulled the wool over so many girls makes him even worse!" Erika slammed her fist on the table. The others in the café turned to stare at her and she quickly sat down again. They were sitting in a café located on the grounds and she reminded herself she couldn't speak so openly about her situation. "I don't know if I can keep this up."

"Then just find someone you truly love." Sanda told her. "If you only need your parents to think that you're in a relationship, find one that makes you happy. I know that you've only came to this school recently but I'm sure you can find the right person. Maybe I can introduce you to some of my friends."

"I don't know if it's that easy," Erika sighed. "I've been really sheltered by my family so I've never been in a relationship before. I would like my first real relationship to be with someone I like rather than someone you choose for me. I've been so busy with magic that I never even looked at a person in a romantic sense."

"Really?" Sanda had known Erika for a long time but thought that she would have more of a social life. They had been friends when they were young. When Sanda left to attend the academy in the same advance program Kyouya was in, they would trade letters. "You must be the only person with no romantic experience at this age."

"I don't think my friend should laugh at me about that," Erika laid her head on the table. There was nothing wrong with being single and she was content with her magic. But maybe she should think about looking for a serious relationship that would still allow her to go to the school. The only thing that she would have trouble with was explaining the shift in their relationship to her mother.

"Who knows, maybe the person you'll fall in love with is closer than you think." Sanda encouraged with a smile. Erika was usually optimistic but once she thought over the guys she met so far she couldn't think of them in a romantic sense. "Just find a guy that loves you."

"Someone that loves me?" Erika thought back to all the fairy tales her mother read her as a child. It was a nice thought to have someone treat her like a princess. She looked out the window and finally noticed that a bird was knocking on the window. Curious, she opened the window and it immediately flew onto her lap. It turned to show a letter tied onto its back.

"Is it from him?" Sanda asked when she saw Erika's brow knot.

"I'm really sorry about this but I need to go. The dark prince is calling me." Her answer was a heavy sigh. After mumbling a quick apology and leaving some money to cover the bill, she left the café. Kyouya had written her a note that told her to meet him in the library. He didn't give her a reason or any more detail than the location.

Erika was already familiar with the layout of the academy and was certain that she would be able to find the library. It was a rather large building so even if she didn't know where it was, she could easily see it. She read over Kyouya's letter as she rushed to the library. She knew that Kyouya would probably yell at her if she was late.

As she turned the corner, she bumped into another person. Erika fell to the ground with an unladylike curse and rubbed her hands. They scrapped against the floor and she blew on them to ease the pain. She looked up to see who she just bumped into and saw that it was another student. "I'm so sorry. I was in a rush and I didn't see you."

"It's okay since I wasn't paying attention either." He started to reach out a hand to her but something stopped him. Erika didn't understand why his eyes landed on the note she dropped. "So you're Kyouya's girlfriend? I heard that he got one but I didn't think that I'll get to meet you. I must say that I was curious about the type of person you might be. You're as beautiful as I thought."

"I'm nothing special, really." Erika scratched her cheek and blushed at his compliment.

"You should be more confident about yourself. My name's Kimura," He offered her a smile that she thought much more prince like than Kyouya's. He took her uninjured hand and helped her to her feet. "I haven't seen you around the academy until recently. If this is your first year here I can show you around the grounds. I would like to get to know you more."

"I would like that." Erika answered quickly but it wasn't as fast as her heart at the moment. Even considering how few men she met and interacted with, Kimura was currently the kindest. He offered to show her around the academy when there was no need to.

"Are you sure that your boyfriend would be okay with that?" Kimura asked and she thought that he was sweet to worry about her and consider her feelings. "I know that if I were your boyfriend I would be afraid of someone taking you from me. You must have many admirers but I would protect you from the other guys trying to steal you."

"I don't think Kyouya would mind," Erika said as blood rushed to her cheeks. Yes he was the kind of boyfriend she would like to have. "I'm still pretty confused about where everything is and Kyouya's too busy to show me around."

"Then how about I pick you up in front of the girl's dorm on Sunday?" He offered.

"I would like that very much!" Erika agreed quickly. His smile only grew wider at her answer and wonder if it was possible to fall in love at the first encounter. He only offered to show her around the academy but a part of her couldn't help but feel excited while the other half was surprisingly nervous. Maybe it was because it could be her first date…

"Don't you look like you're having fun Erika?" A third voice interrupted them. Erika turned sharply to see that it was Kyouya making his way towards them. Even though his smile looked charming, she could feel the irritation beneath. For once it wasn't directed at her but Kimura instead. Why was he mad? "Do I know you?"

"This is Kimura," Erika introduced them. She didn't know why Kyouya was angry at him but quickly made a lie to protect Kimura. "He was just showing me to the library. I got lost on my way to meet you."

"So that's it? Then you have my gratitude Kimura," Kyouya said stiffly and neither moved to shake the other's hand in the customary greeting. They exchanged a glare she couldn't read or understand before Kyouya turned away. He took her hand and started to walk away, "Let's go Erika."

"Okay," She said breathlessly but her mind wasn't on Kyouya. She looked over her shoulder to Kimura instead. He gave her a small smile but it was enough to make her heart feel lighter. Maybe everything would be okay if she asked him for help. Even when he disappeared from her sight, she kept looking in his direction.

"Are you listening?" Erika was rudely pulled out of her daze by Kyouya which made her all the more irritated at him. Once she was able to compare the two, she felt even less willing to put up with Kyouya. He hands tightened into fists when he turned to face her fully. "I asked what you were doing wagging your tail in front of others. I don't want you to see him again."

"I am not a dog- let alone your dog!" Erika screamed back. "And it's not like we're actually dating so you have no right to forbid me from seeing anyone."

"Are you forgetting your position?" Kyouya leaned down to face her. "You are the dog and I am the master. I'm saying this for your own good, stay away from Kimura. Do you understand me?"

"I understand. I won't meet him Sunday." Erika bowed her head at his piercing gaze. She had to purposely hide her face from him to hide her grin. Like hell she was going to listen to him! Once she told Kimura about her situation and he agreed to help, she would have no need for Kyouya. She would no longer be his wolf girl and she would still be able to learn magic.

She jumped back when an open book was thrust under her nose. Erika was confused why Kyouya was handing it to her. When she asked him what he wanted, he pointed to a passage and told her to read it out loud. With a sigh, she obliged.

"_When the mirror was cast upon you, it bore no reflection. Instead, your coldness shattered it and now you will bear the scars of those shards. Dark heart covered by ice, you will know nothing but the storm, until you can see a sweet illusion for what it truly is_." Erika closed the book to read its cover but it had no title. "Did you take this out from the library?"

"It was given to me," Kyouya answered after a moment. He didn't tell her anymore and she flipped through the pages to find that the rest of the pages were empty. "This is a spell and I want you to find a way to break it. I've been trying for years but I haven't been able to but an illusion wizard might be able to. What is the secret to your illusions?"

"That's hard to say," Erika answered and Kyouya gave her a heavy sigh.

"I guess it can't be helped considering how inept you are at magic. I was a fool to even ask you for help." Kyouya reached out to her and she thought that it was to take the book back. He gently took her wrist and pulled her closer to him so he could study her palm. His eyes were steady as he stared at the scrape on her hand. "Did Kimura do this to you?"

"Of course not!" She snatched her hand back though his words made her more confused. He couldn't possibly be worried about her. "I just fell and hurt myself."

"I have the clumsiest dog in the world," Kyouya chuckled to himself and she didn't know how she should take his teasing tone. Erika wondered what he would've done if she said that Kimura did hurt her. He turned and waved to her as he left. "I'll call on you if I think of anything else you can do to help me."

"I won't be your dog by then," Erika whispered.

* * *

"I knew the academy had a beautiful greenhouse but I didn't know it would be this grand!" Erika walked through the greenhouse in awe. It could rival the library in size and homed thousands of plants and animals from around the world. She almost never left her estate so this was the first time she was able to see such unique flowers.

And being with Kimura made it all the more exciting. He picked her up that Sunday and brought her to several places on the grounds. No matter where they went, he always made sure that she was enjoying herself and she loved his consideration. There were others in the greenhouse but Kimura kept her attention.

"These are beautiful," Erika whispered to herself as she brought a cluster of flowers to her nose so she could smell them more. Kimura was watching her with soft eyes and she found herself thinking that he was the first person to ever make her heart feel so light. He took one of the flowers and placed it in her hair with the same line many princes told their princess in fairy tales.

She touched the flower and thought, _he could be the one._

"I was actually worried about today." Kimura admitted and she thought that he looked rather shy. "I thought Kyouya would come since he is your boyfriend. It's must be troublesome to have the prince be your boyfriend."

"I wouldn't call him a prince," Erika sighed and began to tell him about Kyouya. "He's actually pretty sadistic. I feel sad for anyone who actually dates him. They would need to have the patient of a saint and even if she did have that Kyouya doesn't deserve it."

"Eh? But aren't you dating?"

"No!" Erika quickly corrected him, thinking that this was her chance to explain her situation to him. "He's not my boyfriend. Because of this and that he's pretending to be my boyfriend. So you don't need to worry about Kyouya. In fact, I'm really happy you asked me out because I was thinking I would like you to be my real boyfriend."

"Are you serious? I can't go out with you if you're not Kyouya's girlfriend."

"Huh?" Erika didn't understand what he meant right away but she understood the pain she felt piercing her heart. Even if she understood it, she wasn't ready to accept it and laughed shakily. "Kimura?"

"And I wasted all that time and money. Sorry but I don't want to go out with you," He pat her shoulder but she was frozen in place from shock. "Kyouya stole my girl so I wanted to get revenge by doing the same to him. That was all you were to me but take care-"

"I thought I recognized you." A dark laugh came from behind them like the last time they spoke. Erika was shocked when Kyouya stepped out from behind a tree. "I thought women were the only ones petty enough to pull a stunt like this. If you had a problem with me, just come at me directly."

"You're the one that stole my girl from me so you have no right to act so mighty." Kimura raised his fists but they were shaking due to his nervousness.

"I don't remember stealing her. She just fell in love with me all by herself. I didn't give her the time of day so don't be angry at me or Erika. I'm not going to fight you. I hate violence." Kyouya shrugged and turned away from him. With a gentle hand on Erika's shoulder, he nudged her. "Let's go Erika."

She didn't move though. Kyouya frowned at how stiff she was and how she had been since he showed himself. Why wasn't she yelling and screaming at Kimura for tricking her? She always wore her heart on her sleeve so he was able tell when she lied to him.

Finally she raised her head to look at Kimura. "Was it all a lie, Kimura? Was everything you did… everything you said a lie?"

Even though her voice was even, Kyouya could tell that she was trying to stop it from shaking. Though she didn't let her emotion appear in her voice, he could see it tear at her body. Tears gather silently in her eyes but they didn't fall until Kimura started to laugh. Even then, she kept her back stiff with pride and expressed her pain in silence.

"Anyway, aren't you always chasing after guys? Did you think I would fall for you just because you have a decent face? I don't understand how a person can pretend to be with someone they despised but seeing you now I can. I can't stand cheap woman like you. But you did give me another way to get my revenge. There are so many people here I can tell them the truth right now."

"What?" Erika's heart stopped. She looked to Kyouya but he didn't react to Kimura's threat. She knew that his reputation was important to him and she didn't want her lie to drag Kyouya through the dirt. "Please don't! I made all of that up so please don't tell anyone."

The tears fell then and Kyouya took his hand from her shoulder. She felt as if she would crumble under Kimura's words once she lost the support of Kyouya's hand. Erika lifted her gaze when she felt powerful magic begin to emit from Kyouya. He didn't say a word as he watched Kimura step back but his glare screamed volumes.

The ground shook and the animals in the greenhouse reacted to his magic. They started to gather around Kyouya and snarled at Kimura. His magic was overwhelming but she could tell that it was controlled. "Erika wasn't lying and I can get pretty violent. I don't know why but when someone hurts something precious to me I can't control myself or my animals."

"I thought you said you hated violence!" Kimura screamed and people began to stare.

"Did I? I hate hearing people talk bad about what's mine more than I hate using magic. C'mon Erika." Kyouya turned away and the magic she felt started to fade. He ignored the stares around them and continued to pull her out of the greenhouse. "Man that was annoying. The next time you need me to save you I'll throw you out a window."

Erika began laughing but he could still hear the pain in her voice. Without thinking, he started to reach out to her. Only when she turned her large brown eyes at him did he realize what he was doing. Quickly he flicked her forehead, "You just had a terrible first love. You don't need to look so sad because now you know how he truly feels and you don't need to waste your time with him."

Erika touched her forehead and stared at Kyouya confused. Was he trying to comfort her? Confusing feelings swelled in her heart but she didn't know how to interpret them.

"Damnit," Kyouya swore and put a hand over his heart. He staggered on his feet and Erika ran to keep him steady on his feet. He looked so pale now and she didn't know why he was in pain now. He muttered for her to leave him though it was barely audible. Finally, he just placed his head on her shoulder and his body became lax in her arms.

* * *

**My first chapter was pretty short and this is how long my chapters usually are. I was thinking of just moving the last scene to the next chapter but then the pacing would be much slower.**


	3. Curses and Illusions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

_The snow was cold in Kyouya's bare hand but it didn't bother him. His childlike wonder reflected his age of five. He waved to his parents that watched him from a distance before returning to making his snowman. Wanting to impress them, he drew a magic circle in the snow to summon a snow bunny. Magic had always come easy to him and using it made his parents smile._

"_Look at this Momma!" Kyouya cheered when the snow took the form of a rabbit and jumped to life. He easily caught it in his arms and ran to his parents. His father placed a proud hand on his shoulder while his mother worried over his cold hands. His childish pride made him flush and turn away from his mother who smiled in understanding._

_His young magic was still unstable and he couldn't keep the snow in its state for long before it melted. While Kyouya worried about his bunny, his mother took his hand and gently blew on them to warm them. Her lips moved but her words sounded far away so Kyouya wondered what she said. He tried to ask her but found that his voice was mute too._

_Kyouya turned to his older sister and father for help but they were gone, as was the snow and forest around him. His mother, that was before him only a moment ago, was far from him now. She smiled at him and that started to reassure him until she turned to walk away. No matter how fast he chased her, the distance between them grew._

_His short legs crumbled beneath him and he fell to the ground. Snow had gather around his ankles and turned to ice, trapping him. Kyouya looked around him but there was nobody. He was alone. He thought that he would continue to be alone until he felt warmth engulf his leg. At first he thought that he was dying until he saw a girl his age kneel next to him._

_She held her hand over the ice and it began to melt. After she freed him, she stood. Still surrounded by snow, he tried to grab onto her but his hand passed through her. Her long bangs covered her eyes but her lips smiled at him. "Wait, where are you going? Don't leave me like they did!"_

_Why was everyone leaving him? His father, his mother, that strangely familiar stranger, they all left him in the snow… he was alone. How was he, a boy of only five, supposed to survive alone? Kyouya felt a presence behind him and saw a wolf staring at him. It began to speak to him, "Do you want me to bring them back? Would you like your sweet illusion back?"_

"_Please," Kyouya reached out to the wolf._

* * *

"Kyouya?" Erika took the hand he reached out with in his sleep. She wondered what he was dreaming about and what he was reaching out for so earnestly. His hand tightened around hers but it wasn't painful. With her free hand, she placed her hand on his forehead. He didn't have a temperature so he wasn't sick but there was no denying the pain she saw that morning.

Thinking back on how he suddenly became sick earlier made her worry intensify. It came so quickly and suddenly that she didn't know what caused it. The animals helped her carry him and she wondered if animals had always been drawn to him since they gathered around him at the greenhouse too. She called Sanda and with her help she was able to take him home.

Erika was surprised that he didn't live in the dorms but outside the academy. Sanda told her that Kyouya's family couldn't afford to live on campus so he lived in the cottage they were in now. The more she knew about him, the more she wondered about him. But she knew that even if she asked him those questions, he wouldn't answer her.

"What are you dreaming of?" Erika whispered as she wiped the sweat from his brow. It was obviously a nightmare and she thought she could take some of his pain away. Nightmares were only painful illusions the mind created so she wondered if she could change it with her magic. She started to think about what kind of dream she would give him when someone grabbed her hand roughly.

"What are you, a pervert?" Kyouya snapped at her when he woke to find Erika standing over him. She was holding his hand and feeling his forehead with the other. She had a stupidly happy face that he could only guess what she was thinking. The fact that she flushed deeply told him that she was guilty. "Were you thinking of taking advantage of me in my sleep?"

"Can you be more ungrateful?" Erika threw the towel she was using to cool his head onto his lap. She stood and crossed her arms while she chastised him. To his surprise, the animals gather around her. They would usually take his side but they stood by her now. "I had to carry your ass here and I've been taking care of you. You could at least thank me."

"I didn't ask you to care for me," Kyouya shot back and she sighed heavily. She expected him to answer with that ungrateful comment but it still hurt her to hear it. If she was honest, she would admit that she was worried about him slightly. His sudden pain did come after he saved her from Kimura. "How did you even know where I lived?"

"My friend Sanda is the president of your class so she knows where all the students live in case they need their homework delivered." Erika answered him. Kyouya was silent for a moment and the smaller animals began to climb onto his bed. She laughed at the image since it reminded her of the fairy tales her mother told her and how the princess would always be surrounded by animals.

"I guess I can go now that you're awake. You really worried me when you passed out like that. I just hope that you're not getting sick," Erika smiled to him and he wondered how much of her concern was genuine. She was easy to read but he knew that women said things they didn't mean. "Do you have anyone that can take care of you? Maybe your family-"

"My father works in the palace so he doesn't come home often and I don't know where my mother is. She hasn't returned since she left…" Kyouya's words were even but they made Erika flinch. The lack of pain made her pity him more than any amount of tears could. Was it possible for him to be so cold to his situation? She loved her parents and couldn't imagine being without either of them.

"Don't look so sad," Kyouya weakly lifted his hand and flicked her forehead. "It's always been like this since I was a kid so this is pretty normal for me. I don't even think about it anymore. I can take care of myself so I don't need anyone by my side. Just leave and take these animals with you before they make a mess of my house."

Erika didn't know what else she could say. His cold words held so much certainty that she didn't know if she could argue with him. Maybe he would be okay if she left him…

* * *

"Who the hell is knocking on my door so loud?" Kyouya fought the pain of his curse and made his way to answer the door. He decided to stay home that day because he didn't have the patients to maintain his prince persona. He wondered if it was Takeru checking on him since he was one of the few people that knew where he lived.

"Kyouya!" He opened the door to find Erika standing on the other side. He was shocked to see her since he was certain that she wouldn't return to his home but here she was. There was no uncertainty in her eyes when she walked passed him. "Sorry for the intrusion."

"Don't just barge into another person's house!" He started but she took his hand and dragged him back to his room. Kyouya didn't know what she was thinking but her determined eyes were different from before. He had never seen her so serious before and wondered what she was trying to accomplish by invading him home. She should know that he would only kick her out.

"Did you take your mendicant?" She asked as she pushed him onto the bed. He was weak from the effect of the curse so it was easy for her to overpower him. Even if her hands were purposeful, they were gentle. "I know I'm not good at magic but I'm still capable of helping you. So if you need anything just ask me and I'll get it done. So… don't tell me to leave again."

"Are you trying to buy my gratitude?" Kyouya laughed shakily. Nursing him back to health to win his affection was such a cliché that he was surprised that she would use it. He had so many women try to win him over but he wasn't interest in their conditional love. Even if she wasn't trying to win him over, she must want something if she came back to him. They always wanted something from him…

Erika raised her hand and quickly took his. He thought that she was offended by what he said but instead of hurting him she placed a charm in his hand. It was a fire stone that was said to have healing properties. "In times of need, you need to rely on others. It's not bad to depend on others with no string attached. The people that care won't see you as weak if you ask for help."

Erika could see that he wasn't convinced and wished that she had the ability to make him see sense. But it was obvious that he was still in pain. He was too prideful to get help from a human but maybe he would from something else. "Just accept my kindness or else you'll get worse. I'm helping you because… I'm your dog."

"I didn't tell you to be my dog when I'm sick," Kyouya said quietly. He just stared at her in confusion but Erika was sure she should be the only one confused. She thought he would laugh and point out that she was admitting to being a dog. He looked tired but a part of her was glad that he didn't have the energy to make fun of her.

"Really, you're the one that's always saying that I'm your dog." She forced him to lie down and began to pull his blanket over him. He just turned away from her and grabbed the blanket from her hands. She wondered why he was against asking for other's help. "You're really hopeless aren't you? Even I can do something as simple as-"

"Pineapples," Kyouya's mumble shocked her. He was still facing away from her when he made his request. "I want to eat something sour."

"Okay!" Erika clapped as she stood. Having him open himself to her was a miracle in itself so she went off to buy some before he could change his mind. It would've been easier if he was honest from the beginning. "I'm going to buy some right now so while I'm out you need to rest. I'll leave the door unlock so you won't have to answer the door either."

Kyouya didn't reply and instead listened to her retreating footsteps. After he heard the door close, he looked at the firestone she placed in his hand. It was warm and soothing. He found the combination lulling him to sleep and held onto it tighter. What was she thinking helping him when she had every right to hate him? _Should I really believe that you're going to come back?_

* * *

Erika was careful to not make any noise when she returned to Kyouya's house. The house was silent so she hoped that Kyouya was still asleep and not worrying over her lateness. She ran into Sanda when she was trying to buy the fruit and she gave her several recipes she could use. While Erika helped the chef cook at times, she didn't have much experience cooking.

She took a quick look into his bedroom to find him sleeping and was glad that he was taking her advice. Seeing that he was asleep, Erika decided to begin making the porridge. While she made her way down the hall, she was surprised at the lack of photos. She had to admit that she wanted to see what he was like when he was a child.

His kitchen was sparse like the rest of his home and the pantry was filled with ready made food. Erika had to wonder how he was able to live off that while still being in good health. Then again he was popular with women so he could've gotten them to cook for him. How many women had he invited to his home? She didn't know why she was thinking of that now or why she wanted to help him.

Erika just remembered how lonely he looked the previous day. When Sanda told her that she needed to deliver Kyouya's homework because he missed class, Erika offered to take it for her. She was glad she did or else he would've been alone. She felt as if something was drawing her closer to him and she didn't want to abandon him.

She was just finishing making the porridge when she heard someone enter the kitchen. Kyouya shock mirrored hers but she was the first to move. She quickly put out the fire on the stove and rushed to his side. "I thought I told you to stay in bed! You shouldn't be walking about when you're sick."

"I'm fine now," Kyouya protested but she once again dragged him back to bed. He sighed and allowed her to do so. He told himself the sooner she was satisfied, the sooner she would leave his house. Erika placed her warm hand on his forehead and compared his temperature with her own. Her touch was soft and its warmth was oddly familiar.

"It looks like it went down. That's a relief," Erika smiled and he was shocked at how honest the expression was. Her smile was soft and warm. He could still feel her touch even when she stood, "Well it looks like everything I made was a waste. You don't need to eat it now that you're better. Maybe I should just take it home and-"

"I'll eat it." Kyouya cut her off. She looked at him questioningly and he looked away. "I just don't like wasting food so I'll eat what you made."

"Okay!" Erika ran out of the room and quickly came back with the food she made. Kyouya began to regret his decision when he saw how discoloured the food was. She read his expression and laughed as she reassured him that it was edible. She had tasted it before bringing it to him. She puffed her cheeks when he started to forge sickness as an excuse not to eat it.

"Then I'll just feed you," She said with a straight face and he quickly sat up like she thought he would. Erika had to hold back her laughter at how easy she could manipulate his pride. It was kind of cute and she could almost see him as normal. She watched him eat and smiled at that thought. Maybe if they met another way, they could've been friends.

"Why are you doing all of this?" Kyouya asked her after he took a bite. "You're always complaining when I boss you around yet you're taking care of me now. What's your motive?"

"Why do you always try to look at things that way?" Erika sighed. The moment she thought he was opening himself to her, he would remind her that his cold heart was closed. "I just wanted to help you. There's no ulterior motive or anything behind this. I didn't want your gratitude. I just want to help you. You might not be my favourite person in the world but I don't hate you."

Erika looked at him to see his reply but he was silent. He continued to stare at the food she made him on his lap. Kyouya looked to be deep in thought and she didn't know if any words she could've said would convince him that she only wanted to help.

He didn't look her in the eyes when he whispered, "thanks."

That one word brought Erika's heart to a stop. She stared at him in shock and she almost asked him to repeat himself. He couldn't have possible thanked her. He scowled and pinched her cheeks, asking her why she was staring at him. She pushed away his hands and stepped back from him. "I'm sorry. I was just surprised that you actually thanked me."

Kyouya didn't know if he should be offended because she had every right to think that of him. Her expression was honest to a fault, as was her kindness. "I hate girls who push their kindness onto others. I'm surrounded by girls who pretend to have a beautiful heart so I would fall in love with them. It's not that simple and they're just making a fool of themselves."

"Oh…" Erika felt as if his words struck her heart.

"But you're different." Kyouya continued before she could stand to leave. "You didn't help me to try to manipulate me. You don't have ulterior motives or anything to gain from helping me. You've been honest to me even if you lied to everyone to achieve your dream. Because of that I thought the least I can say is thank you. That's all."

Erika didn't know how to react for a moment. She doubted he truly thought her different from other girls. She found herself laughing and jokingly placed her hand on his forehead again. "Are you sure you're not sick anymore? You must be if you're saying such weird things. Maybe I should get something to read your temperature!"

"I said you don't need to worry about me because I was never sick in the first place." He took her wrist to pull her hands away but found that her face was closer to his than he expected. She stared at him for a moment and he could feel the pulse in her wrist begin to race. She laughed nervously and pulled away when he let her go. "I was never really sick anyways."

"What do you mean?" Erika didn't think that he would still be so prideful that he would still insist that he wasn't sick.

"I was cursed." Kyouya explained. He knew she would continue to ask him so decided to tell her the truth. "It causes me pain whenever I use magic. I've been trying to find a way to break the curse I showed you yesterday. I need to find what that book means by being able to see an illusion for what it truly is so I need an illusion wizard's help."

"Is that why you hate magic?" She asked. If he wanted to break his curse so he would be able to use magic again, he must still want to use it. He didn't offer any more detail, leaving her with more questions. How was he cursed and by who? "I thought you didn't like magic but if you're trying to break the curse that means you want to practise it."

"I hate magic," Kyouya said with certainty. "I'm an animal tamer. My magic naturally activates when I'm near animals and I have no control over it. It's pathetic if I get sick every time I get close to one so I'm trying to find a way to lift the curse. Magic causes nothing but trouble in my life so after this I'll wash my hand of it."

_So that's why he wanted an illusion wizard_, Erika thought to herself. She didn't know why it was so hard for him to be honest and ask for her help instead of blackmailing her to being his dog. She thought back to the previous day and how his hand shook when he got close to the orthrus. But why would he use his magic to threaten Kimura when it would make him sick?

"I'll help you!" Erika took his hand and looked into his eyes. "I'll help you lift your curse. I'm sure we can find what it means by seeing an illusion clearly. I might be a beginner at magic but my illusions are powerful and if they're the key to helping you this should be over in no time. Then after that, I'll be able to show you how wonderful magic is!"

"Do whatever you want." Kyouya turned away from her and she realized how she was leaning towards him. She jumped back when his clock rang and she realized how late it was becoming. Kyouya pushed himself out of bed, "I should walk you back to your dorm. It's late and people will question why your fake boyfriend isn't walking you home."

"I'll be alright! Everyone thinks you're sick so they'll understand. You should just stay here and rest while I try to find a way to lift your curse." Erika reassured him. She took the book he showed her yesterday and placed it in her bag. He lay back in bed and looked far away. "Don't worry Kyouya. You can trust me on this!"

Erika started to run home so she wouldn't miss her curfew but in reality she was trying to run from her racing heartbeat and the questions they held. Why was she trying to create a good mood to cheer him up? They weren't dating so she shouldn't care for him as much as she was starting to. She tried to force herself to calm down as she ran faster.

* * *

"What am I, an idiot?" Erika sighed as she sat up in her bed. She couldn't sleep despite the fact that it was almost midnight. She kept seeing the events of that afternoon whenever she closed her eyes. She buried her face in her pillow but unnamed emotions continued to plague her.

She tried not to wake Sanda as she got out of her bed. Erika opened the window and stared up at the moon. She wondered if Kyouya was looking at the moon as well. Then she laughed since she knew the answer. He was probably sleeping and if he was looking at the beautiful moon he would call it dull. "Why am I thinking of him so much?"

To distract herself, she pulled out the book Kyouya gave her with the curse inside. Erika had showed Sanda the book earlier but she never seen a curse like the one placed on Kyouya. A powerful wizard must've cast the spell and Erika wondered who placed it on him. If she knew that, she would be able to help him more. But she doubted he would tell her.

But she was learning more about him each day. Even if he said that he didn't like animals or magic, she knew it couldn't entirely be true. People were born with magic but it manifested itself in each person differently. It usually took the form of what the person enjoyed such as how she wanted to make others happy with her illusions.

The Kyouya she knew now was different than the Kyouya she met that first day. Was he the prince everyone saw, the black prince, or the person she spoke with today? Erika didn't know which was true but she hoped that he would open himself up enough for her to see. She did want to help him and show him something other than his negative outlook on life.

Erika opened the book read over the passage again. The obvious answer was for Kyouya to see the truth but there must be more to it if he hadn't been able to break the curse. Maybe she could show him her illusion and teach him how to counter illusion magic.

Absentmindedly, she turned the page and was shocked to see that there was another passage written. She quickly scanned the other pages but found that they were still blank. Erika read the newly printed words to herself.

_Imprints left by others can cloud our vision and create the illusion of ugliness over beauty. If you aren't looking, you will be easily fooled by such an illusion._

* * *

**I was supposed to be writing **_**Paintings in the Sky**_** but I was so inspired to write this that I kinda pushed that back to write this ^-^" I just love these two but I must get back to my main project.**


	4. Realizations

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

Erika felt as if she was dead on her feet as she walked down the hall to her first class. Thoughts of Kyouya and the previous day kept her up that night and she didn't know why. The only thing she knew was that she would drive herself crazy if she continued to think of it. She stopped in front of a large window. Maybe she should go out to town to distract herself.

"Hey, do you hear me?" Erika jumped when a voice made her jump. She shuddered when she recognized it immediately and turned to see Kyouya standing next to her. She didn't know if she shuddered from fear of something else but she was much more aware of his presence now. He pinched her cheek and scowled. "Answer me, I've been calling you."

"Kyouya? I'm sorry I didn't hear you. I guess I had some things on my mind," She looked away since she couldn't look at him without her heart beating confusingly. Erika felt her body stiffen when he leaned over and peered into her face closely.

"Curses aren't contagious so you don't need to worry," Kyouya told her and she quickly shook her head. Was he worried about her? She quickly tried to reassure him so he wouldn't notice her nervousness. He grinned and poked her forehead. "Who said I was worried? It's the master's job to make sure that his dog is healthy so she can perform her duties."

Erika huffed beneath her breath and tried to hide her irritation since they were still in the crowded hallway. Seeing him grin now she wondered if the vulnerable Kyouya she saw yesterday was a trick of her mind. Maybe he only acted like he did because of his curse. "I'm sure you didn't call out to me for nothing so is there something you need?"

"I want you to meet me in the courtyard afterschool," Kyouya told her. His tone left no room for argument but she didn't know why he was inviting her out. "If you're going to help me break my curse then you need to become a better wizard. At this point you're useless to me so I'll train you so you can improve your magic skill."

Erika felt conflicted over the prospect of Kyouya teaching her magic. While she wanted to learn more magic and improve herself, she didn't how strict he would be as a teacher. He was in an advance class with Sanda so he must be skilled so there was a lot she could learn from him. Then again it would be better if Sanda taught her.

"You better not be late either. A master should never wait for his dog," Kyouya didn't wait for her to argue and started to walk away. His attitude pissed her off and she wondered why she even considered him as anything other than a jerk. She watched other students greet him while he smiled back. He was deceiving everyone and…

"See you after school Erika," He turned back and stuck his tongue at her. Anyone who saw their exchange would've thought he was merely inviting her out on a date. His expression was caught between teasing and mocking so she wondered which he meant it to be. Erika didn't get to study his expression more before he turned and continued to walk down the hall.

"Someone like that is definitely no good…" Erika reminded herself under her breath but it sounded much weaker than it did when she first met him. If only she knew his true nature, she would be able to settle her feelings. A part of her wished that he would be cruel to her so she could hate him like she should've but she thought of how he saved her from Kimura and allowed her to care for him.

_Who are you truly?_ Erika thought before she forced thoughts of him from her mind and ran to her class.

* * *

"Food, you are my only friend but this must be done." Erika stuffed the cake into her mouth. She always had a weakness for sweets and she would console herself with them whenever she felt confused. Sitting on the bench, she ate more than she cared to admit but she needed to collect her thoughts while she waited for Kyouya to arrive.

"Erika!" She looked up when someone called her and was surprised at her disappointed when she saw that it was Sanda instead of Kyouya. She didn't show her disappointment and smiled instead. Her friend sat next to her and asked, "Why are you waiting here alone and eating so many cakes. It's unhealthy to eat so much and you don't usually do so unless you're upset."

"I'm not upset San-chan… just confused." Erika sighed. She hoped that her friend would give her more insight on her feelings so briefly explained the situation to her. She didn't want Sanda to think that she was crazy so spun the story to be about a friend. "So I don't know what to tell her to do. She doesn't understand what she's feeling."

"Maybe she's in love," Sanda said after a pause and Erika's heart stopped. Even if Sanda was less sheltered than she was and experienced much more, Erika didn't want to believe that what she could be feeling was love. She thought of how she was infatuated with Kimura but what she felt towards Kyouya was much more confusing.

"I don't think she loves him! How can you even think she's able to love him? She's always talking trash about him and he really deserves it too." Erika said quickly. "He's rude and cold and there's no way he can maintain a relationship. She knows better than to fall in love with someone like him. She'll only be hurt if she loves him."

"You can't choose who you fall in love with so it can't be helped. The heart has a mind of its own after all. But she should be happy to find someone she likes since a lot of people don't. You should tell her to follow her feelings so she won't have any regret. I'm sure she'll find happiness if she stays true to her heart and even if it doesn't work out she still has her friends to support her."

"It can't be love though," Erika looked down at her hands on her lap. Even if she accepted that she felt was love, she didn't know what she should do. She could easily see Kyouya laughing at her feelings if she said she loved him. The previous day he told her he thought women were manipulative and fake even if he said she was different.

"Erika, I'm sorry for making you wait." she looked up and saw Kyouya walking towards her with a smile. As if her feelings couldn't become more confusing. She almost wanted to believe his smile and his words but she knew that it was only because Sanda was there that he was acting like a prince. "I hope you haven't been waiting here too long."

"I haven't been waiting too long and I've been talking to San-chan." Erika told him and started nibbling the cake she bought to distract herself again. Sanda looked from her to Kyouya before smiling in understanding. She stood and gathered her books even though Erika started to panic more. Erika felt more comfortable with Sanda present so she wouldn't have to face her feelings alone.

"I need to get to the student council meeting," Sanda explained and smiled in encouragement at her. "But remember what I told you. I'll help you out in any way I can so try your best. Just follow your heart and don't live with any regrets. I'm rooting for you!"

Sanda left Erika with that reassurance but she still didn't know what to do. She tried to give Kyouya a customary greeting but he stopped her by pinching her cheek. He frowned down at her but she didn't find it intimidating anymore even if it portrayed his irritation. "Were you talking bad about me to your friend? I thought I told you not to tell anyone about my curse."

"I didn't tell her about your curse," Erika snapped back and tried to push his hands away. He gave up easily and she rubbed her cheeks to dull ache. She didn't know why he enjoyed pinching her cheek since he did something similar that morning. How could she possibly survive his training if it reflected his sadistic attitude?

"Good," Kyouya nodded his approval. They both knew that if it was revealed that he was cursed, he wouldn't be able to attend the academy anymore. He gestured for her to stand, "We should get going now. I can't teach you here in the courtyard. Knowing you, you'll embarrass yourself if you do and they'll reconsider your standing in the school."

"I passed all the requirements for admission," Erika puffed her cheeks in pride. Even if she only barely did so, it was her illusions that the professors praised. But there was some truth to his words since she didn't want people to watch her fail at magic. She gathered her books and was surprised when Kyouya held out his hand and offered to carry them for her.

"He's so prince like," Erika heard the whisper of several students in the distance. The thought that he was only helping her because he needed to maintain his act annoyed her but knew that there was nothing she could do about it. Why did he want people to think he was a gentleman when he didn't like to be around others? "I would love to date a guy like him."

"Just ignore them," Kyouya whispered to her and shrugged his bag over his shoulder. She nodded and quickly fell into step beside him. He was used to people staring at him but Erika seemed uncomfortable with it. She didn't talk about her past much but from what she told him he knew that she was sheltered. "People like them aren't worth your time."

"Okay but where are we going?" She asked him. Erika easily matched her steps to his and stayed by his side even when he didn't answer her. Kyouya noticed that she was oddly silent lately. She would always be yelping in his ear about something so not hearing her complain was unusual. It was obvious that something was on her mind.

"There's a lake near the boundary of the academy that not many people go to. We can train there in private." He answered her after a moment. She nodded absentmindedly so he wondered if she heard him or if she was listening to him.

He felt pain tug at his heart the same time something tugged at his pants. Erika saw that a dog was able to sneak behind them and tried to get his attention. Remembering Kyouya's curse, she quickly pulled the dog away from Kyouya and put some distance between them. "Sorry boy but you can't get close to Kyouya or else he'll-"

"It's okay," Kyouya closed the space she made between them and placed a hand on the dog. His gesture calmed the dog and it stopped trying to escape her hold. Even when his breathing became uneven, he gave the dog a strained smile. She remembered Kyouya saying that he liked dogs and wondered if he would have one as a familiar if he wasn't cursed.

The strain smile he gave the dog was more genuine than the other smile she saw on him. It was almost enough to make her think of him a normal wizard. She wondered if he would ever give someone the same tender affection he did with the dog. She realized that she imagined herself and shook herself.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want me to pet you too?" Kyouya noticed her expression and flicked her forehead. He didn't know if her flush was from anger of embarrassment but thought nothing deeper of it. He doubted anything she felt towards him would be deeper than disdain and that was for the better.

"Thank you for finding my familiar!" Another wizard came and took the dog from Erika. "She always runs from me when I'm not looking. I hope she didn't cause you any trouble."

"Of course she didn't. She's a good dog," Kyouya gave her a smile but Erika couldn't sense the same worth it had only a moment ago with the dog. The girl didn't notice though and giggled while admiration shined in her eyes. Erika noticed that while the girl took the dog away, Kyouya kept his focus on the dog as he waved to it.

"Are you going to get a dog after we lift you curse?" Erika asked him. It seemed like an obvious choice since he liked dogs and wouldn't have to worry about being sick anymore. "I'm sure you'll be happier if have a real dog instead of me. Then again you live alone so it'll get lonely while you're at school."

"It's not only that," The emptiness in his voice made her turn to him. "It'll be bothersome if I got attached to it and it died. I had a dog when I was young but it died. When I think about it, I realize owning one was trouble from start to finish. There's nothing you can do about something leaving no matter how much attention and affection you give it. Might as well not try."

_I didn't think he experienced something like that_, Erika thought to herself as she watched his profile. She had never lost someone in her life but she didn't think losing a pet would make him so cold and wonder if another experience was the true root to his attitude.

"Well besides, I already have this giant pet to take care of." Kyouya pet her head like he did earlier with the dog. She was so taken back that her only reaction was her heart beginning to race. She was beginning to get sick of the reaction it was proving to be a hazard to her heart. "Hopefully she learns fast so I don't have to waste time teaching her magic."

"I'm going to become a great wizard so I'll be able to master any spell you give me in no time!" Erika boosted even though she wasn't as confident as she sounded. She wondered if she would be able to measure up to his challenge if he was a strict teacher. She didn't want to give in entirely so gave him a confident smile and pulled her wand. "Give me your first spell."

"Magic isn't about reciting spells." Kyouya sighed. They reached the lake and he was glad that there weren't any other students. He found it during his first year at the school and liked to visit the place to clear his head. It was far from the academy so most student didn't bother to travel to the spot. Erika seemed to take a liking to it too as she placed her hand in the water.

"Are you going to be okay with these moonfish here?" Erika asked when she felt the fish brush against her fingers. Kyouya didn't seem to be in pain so she wondered if he was hiding it from her. "Maybe we should go to a place with fewer animals like the library."

"I'll be okay. Being near animals hurt me but, as long as I don't get too close to them or use magic, it's tolerable." Kyouya told her but she was still worried about him and he could read it in her face. She was too kind for her own good and someone could easily take advantage of her. He wondered what it was like to be blissfully unaware of reality.

"Let's begin. What kind of spells can you do beside your illusions?" Kyouya asked her and she started to laugh nervously. At first he didn't believe that the only magic she knew were illusions but her face was so honest. "Please tell me that you're not this useless. Even the most inexperience wizard knows how to use several elemental magic!"

"I'm sorry if my parents didn't let me learn magic!" Erika snapped back to hide her embarrassment. "But that's why I'm here. I want to learn a lot of different magic to fully realize my potential even if in the end I only use my illusions to make people happy. I'm able to use some of the elements but they're not as powerful as my illusions."

"You know they'll kick you out of the school if you don't improve your skills by the next evaluation." Kyouya told her and she flinched. She was hoping that the classes would be enough to help her improve but they bored her and didn't seem to teach her anything practical. Maybe Kyouya teaching her would be a good experience. "I guess I have my work cut out of me."

Erika was confused about how he would teach her when he couldn't use his magic. He pulled out a large spell book from his bag and placed it in her hands. It was so large and heavy she didn't know how she could carry it. "I was late because I went to the library to get this book for you. Learning magic isn't about saying the spell but understanding them. Study this book."

"How do you expect me to do that?" Erika gapped. She quickly scanned a random page and there seemed to be nothing but useless text. She had tried to perform magic other than illusion but they were so weak she would give up on them. "There must be over a thousand pages in here."

"Do you want to be a powerful wizard?" Kyouya's blunt words made her stop. "No matter how powerful your magic is, you'll never be able to tap into that potential unless you train. If you really want to improve you need to work at it. If you're not dedicated to your dream, I shouldn't be wasting both of our time."

"I want to be a great wizard!" Erika screamed with conviction and Kyouya nodded. He never knew someone so dedicated to their goal that it would blind her. If she was willing to put up with the training he prepared, she might grow as a wizard. He had to laugh at her exaggerated expression but he didn't find it as annoying as he first did. "I don't care how much you throw at me!"

"Good," Kyouya nodded and she took out her wand. She didn't know how well their lessons could go without him using his magic but he must've thought of that already if he brought her the spell book. She wondered what kind of spell he would teach her first. Maybe he would teach her how to communicate with animals since his specialty was animal taming.

"_Ignis alica_," Kyouya opened the book and pointed to the simple fire spell. Erika looked it over and thought that it wasn't complicated and that he was teasing her again. His eyes showed that he wasn't and he took out a teacup which confused her further. "Create a flame that fits into this teacup. You can't make it too big or too small and don't try to make an illusion."

"You can be really mean sometimes." Erika pouted and concentrated on making a flame. She waved her wand and tried to make a flame the size of a teacup. She grinned when a flame flickered to life at the end of her wand but worried when it faded quickly. Thinking that she only needed to use more magic, she cast the spell again. "_Ignis alica!_"

Erika screamed when fire exploded in front of her and it was powerful enough to knock her off her feet. Kyouya was by her side, helping her sit up but she was glad that no one was hurt from her spell. The fire faded only a moment after the explosion. Kyouya gave her a worried look before his brows drew together. "What was that? I told you to make a small flame!"

"I'm sorry!" She said automatically. Erika knew that she was in the wrong this time but still turned away from Kyouya's angry glare. She didn't understand why her magic failed her both times when it came naturally when she made illusions. She tightened her grip on her wand and debated if she should try the spell again. It seemed so simple when she was reading it.

"You put too much magic into it," Kyouya instructed and Erika was surprised that he sounded much calmer now. She thought that he would continue to yell at her. "You don't need to and putting a large amount of magic in one spell makes it harder to control."

"I need to if I want the flame to last longer." She tried to reason with him and remembered how the flame went out the first time she attempted the spell. Kyouya quickly flicked her forehead.

"Are you questioning your teacher?" Kyouya's eyes dared her to continue arguing with him and she was half tempted to. "Performing magic is more than just reciting words. You need to concentrate on your illusions to maintain them and it's the same for other spells. If you give it too much, you'll lose control. If you give too little, the spell will fall apart."

"I see," Erika nodded. She stopped giving the spell magic after she recited the words. Once again she lifted her wand to recite the spell. Erika tried to concentrate on maintaining the flame's size like she would with her illusions but found that it continued to falter. She bit her lower lip in an attempt to calm herself but continually using magic was starting to put a strain on her.

"Loosen up," she felt someone arms around her and adjusted her stance so that she was standing straighter. She realized that it was Kyouya and she almost lost control of her spell due to her nervousness. Erika felt his presence behind her and his scent surrounded her. "If you stand like this, magic will flow through you easier."

"Thanks," she stumbled over the world as he stepped away. But even with his advice, she still found it difficult to control the flame. When she felt drained of her magic, she let herself slump to the ground. With a content smile, she lay on her back and stared up at the sky. "That was exhausting."

"You gave up after forty five seconds," Kyouya scoffed from where he stood over her. Her eyes widened when he told her that. "Others can last for five minutes at least but if you train and practise, you might make it to a minute. Really this is pathetic."

"Can you not be mean on such a nice day?" Erika sighed and patted the grass next to her. "Maybe you should lie down and relax too."

Erika meant the offer as a joke since she didn't think he would actually lie in the grass. She thought he would scoff at her and say he wouldn't lie in the grass and ruin his clothes. So she closed her eyes and resigned herself to enjoying the peaceful moment alone. The air shifted slightly and she opened her eyes to see Kyouya lying beside to her.

"Shut up," He mumbled when he felt her gaze on him. "I'm tired too so let me rest in peace."

Erika smiled at how stubborn he was yet how weak he looked now. He placed his arm over his eyes so he wouldn't be bothered by the sun. She turned her body so she was lying on her stomach and peering into his face from above. She could see that he was straining himself and didn't know why.

Kyouya could hear the voices of the birds above and tried to repress his magic. He lifted his arm when he felt a soft breeze wash over him. His eyes widened when he saw that it was Erika, casting a simple wind spell to cool him. She smiled when she noticed his stare, "Just go back to sleep. I think neither of us wants to train."

Kyouya didn't complain and let himself relax.

* * *

"Erika, there's a package for you." Sanda came into their room with a basket. Erika lifted the cloth covering it to find that they were bake goods and she naturally smiled. Even without reading the note, she knew that it was from her mother. She read the note anyways and smiled at how lengthy it was. Her mother said she was worried so Erika wanted to write a letter to reassure her.

"There's an awful lot here," Erika sighed. Her mother didn't know restraint at times but it was a quirk Erika loved since she unknowingly inherited it. Even after giving Sanda a portion, it was still too much for her to eat.

"I'm going to go out for a little bit, San-chan!" Erika told her even as she was running out of the dorm. It was easy for her to imagine sharing them with Kyouya since he was the only other student she felt close to. It was still before curfew so she decided to deliver the treats to him.

As she walked to his home, she wondered if he had eaten yet. Erika remembered the time she tried to cook for him and laughed at the memory. She hoped that he was eating well since his kitchen was empty the last time she saw it. Maybe they could go out to town to buy food for him. She laughed just thinking what his reaction would be.

She reached his home and knocked on the door. As she waited for him to answer, she checked to make sure the treats weren't ruin from her run. She heard the door open so greeted. "Kyouya, I'm sorry for visiting so late but my mom-"

"Are you looking for Kyouya?" Erika looked up sharply at the feminine voice. She couldn't respond to the woman that answered the door. She called over her shoulder. "Kyouya, it looks like you have a visitor. I'm going to be leaving now so take care."

"Erika?" Kyouya appeared behind her and looked shock. Erika didn't know which one of them should be more shock. She was rooted to the ground even after the woman left and Kyouya gestured for her to enter. She couldn't bring herself to move past the pain she felt wrecking her heart. Why was she getting so upset seeing him with another woman?

Erika stood in front of him in fear and confusion. How ironic was it that she could only understand why now? It was true yet…

_I should hate myself_, she finally dropped her gaze to the ground, _because I've fallen in love with you_.

* * *

**At this point I'll be diverging from the manga plot to the one I planned dealing with Kyouya's curse and Erika improving her magic. I just wanted to see if I could improve the set up the manga used and I think I did a decent job. **


	5. New Illusions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

_Like an idiot, I fell in love with him_. Erika stood in front of the man she should've known better than to fall in love with. She tightened her hold on the basket she was holding to hide how her hands were shaking. Kyouya waited for her to respond but Erika couldn't force any words past the lump in her throat. What could she say after seeing a woman leave his home?

"Why are you here so late?" Kyouya asked her again.

Instead of answering him, she found herself saying. "I thought you didn't like girls knowing where you live. I know they'll be attracted to you unintentionally and you probably have a few girls on rotation but maybe it's best if you stop. Having a girl alone in your room is something you're meant to do with someone you love and you shouldn't lead them on."

"I didn't touch her," Kyouya told her with little emotion. Erika couldn't help but remember how at ease that woman looked when she left. How close were they really? "I couldn't care less and you shouldn't either. Whether I involve myself with a woman for pleasure or love, it'll only involve the two of us. An outsider shouldn't poke her nose into our business."

"But…" Erika turned her eyes down but not before Kyouya saw the complicated emotion in them. She looked almost defeated, as if someone had trampled on her hope. He didn't know what she could hope to gain from him and knew that she was too innocent to even consider manipulating him. "I want to be there for you because I lo-"

Kyouya felt a sharp pain in his heart when she started. The pain only lasted for a moment and he didn't show any outward sign of it. But he quickly cut her off with a low, cold laugh. Was she trying to say that she loved him? Shock and confusion crossed her face but he was too cold to acknowledge those emotions.

"You're really simple, aren't you? You don't love me so don't even try to suggest you are." He leaned closer to her so she wouldn't be able to escape his cold eyes. She would have to learn the truth behind the illusion that is love eventually and he was more than willing to tell her. "You've just mistaken our act as something real. You only think you love me but in reality you don't."

"So you're telling me that my feelings are just a misunderstanding?" She asked and she paled further when he nodded. He expected tears and hysteria to follow but to his surprise, she smiled instead. It was a broken, empty smile but it held a quiet dignity. "I guess that makes sense. And it's a little of a relief too since I don't want to be in love with anything other than magic."

"You're smarter than most girls then. You only need to open your eyes to the truth about magic too…" He started but stopped when he saw that tears were gathering at the corner of her eyes. She never looked up or allowed him to see them. She pushed the basket she was holding into his arms and he was force to take it or have them drop to the ground.

"My mom sent me some sweets and I thought you might want some too. I just came to deliver them and I'm sorry I interrupted your night." Her voice was starting to shake so she quickly turned to leave. "Bye!"

She never turned around to look at him once as she ran back to the dorm. But Kyouya could see the tears in her eyes clearly in his mind. Why was he reacting to her tears when he rejected so many other women? He looked down at the basket she gave him and ran a hand through his hair. She said she understood so why was he still bothering with her feelings?

_For God's sake, _Kyouya sighed to himself and went inside to get his cape.

* * *

_I can't believe I confessed to him like that,_ Erika thought over his rejection as she walked back to her dorm. The moment she realized her feelings for him, she blurt them out and ruined everything. She barely even confessed to him before he laughed at her feelings. How could she go on with their farce without it becoming awkward? Maybe it was better just to pretend her feelings were a misunderstanding.

"_Do you want him to become your sweet illusion_?" A voice echoed around Erika and she jumped. It was an eerily comforting voice and her first instinct was to run. She didn't recognize the voice or the magic she felt raising from the ground. She couldn't even place what type of magic it was. "_Come and let me show you the truth…"_

Light rose from the ground beneath her and it created a path into the forest. She knew that it was dangerous for her to venture into the forest but she felt as if a spell was being placed on her. Erika could make out the faint outline of a wolf at the end and she wondered if the animal was speaking to her. She wasn't an animal tamer so she couldn't hear animal's voices.

"Hey, you're that girl!" Erika jumped at the voice behind her. Tension left her body as if the spell that held her disappeared. She turned to see that the voice belonged to the woman she had seen with Kyouya earlier. The light faded and the woman didn't show any sign of seeing it as she gave Erika a pitying smile. "I guess Kyouya told you the same thing he told me."

Erika didn't know if she wanted to hear Kyouya's lover talk about their latest escapade so shrugged and tried to make a quick escape. The woman didn't seem to notice how uncomfortable Erika was as she went on. "He said that he was through playing with girls now that he has a dog to take care of. It was strange since I didn't think he had pet dog."

Erika was left in silence even after the woman left. A dog? She knew that Kyouya couldn't have a dog because of his curse so what he could mean when he said that to her? Did she misunderstand Kyouya? Erika placed her hand on her head and remembered what Kyouya said to her the previous day. _"I already have this giant pet to take care of."_

With those thoughts running through her mind, Erika ran back. Her legs didn't take her back to the girl dorms but back to Kyouya. It was silly of her to think that he was referring to her yet she needed to know for herself. He rejected her only a moment before and made his feelings clear when he did so. Still Erika ran back like the hopeless romantic he must think of her.

Just as she turned the corner, she ran into Kyouya. Erika staggered back and he caught her quickly. He was surprise to see her since the girl's dorm was in the opposite direction and he didn't think that she would come back. She was breathing heavily so he wondered if she had been running. "Why did you come back?"

"What did you me when you said that you had a dog you needed to take care of? That woman told me that you said you had one but…" Erika's exhaustion caught up with her and she tried to make her breathing even again. Kyouya twitched, damning the woman for saying more than was needed. "You said that you wouldn't play with girls anymore but why?"

Her honest eyes bared its soul to him and he could only answer her honesty with honesty. Kyouya turned away from her and muttered. "I've grown numb to feelings but I care about this act. I can't play around when I'm pretending to be your boyfriend, can I? You want to stay in this academy and I need you to stay to help me with my curse."

"So it was for our act," Erika didn't know what she was expecting. Part of her wanted him to say something more but the other part of her fully expected his cynical response. In the end she was nothing more than a means to an end. If she didn't have illusion magic, he wouldn't have looked twice at her.

"Sometimes I think it would be better if I just found another illusion wizard." She thought he would continue to hurt her with his words but he went on. "Being with you has actually made me start caring about other people's feelings. Your stupidly kind nature has been rubbing off on me and I don't like it."

"How can you blame that on me? Anyways, you're still as mean as when we first met so you don't need to worry about your change of heart." Erika shot back but didn't know if she was right since he looked so serious. He did run after her and told the woman that he wouldn't play with girls any more but she couldn't be the reason for that change.

Kyouya looked into her eyes but then his gaze drifted to something over her shoulder. His crimson eyes flashed to life with anger and he placed a hand on her shoulder so she wouldn't be able to turn around. She realized that he was holding her for support and wondered if it was an animal when he started calling out. "I don't want any illusion you offer me! Leave her out of this too."

A howl cut through the night before silence fell around them and she filled it questions. Why was he bothering to speak with an animal when he was still cursed? But it seemed like he was protecting her. If this ungracefully kind Kyouya was the true one, could she really fall in love with him? Could he return her feelings? Was it alright for her to continue helping him despite her feelings?

"You better not have that attitude during my lesson tomorrow or else I'll make you maintain that flame for an hour." Kyouya made the decision for her and softly flicked her forehead. He didn't tell her to leave and she was glad despite how confusing her emotions still were. Seeing that she was fine, he turned away from her. "Get back to the dorm before curfew and don't go into the forest alone."

"Wait, Kyouya!" Erika's scream stopped him. She called out to him on impulse and now that he was facing her, she was regretting her rash decision. "I just wanted to say that I wasn't mistaken when I told my feelings. I didn't know if I should give up on them but they're not something that I can lie about or change. I know you won't believe me but let me stay and help you."

"You don't need to keep going on about that. If you keep yelping at me about believing you, it'll get annoying so I'll believe you when you say you want to help me." Kyouya didn't dare bring up the subject of her confession and hoped that she would do the same. She didn't and beamed a smile at him. Erika continued to smile as she waved to him before going back to her dorm.

It was strange seeing her smile because the endless kindness it held wasn't as annoying as he first thought it was. She was honest to a fault but he didn't know if he should believe in her confession. He doubted they would ever fall in love and thought that it was an unspoken agreement between them not to. Watching her leave, he thought that he was strangely looking forward to tomorrow.

* * *

"Kyouya!" Erika greeted him eagerly. Kyouya didn't expect to see her waiting for him. She stood at the corner of his street with a wide smile as if she hadn't been rejected the previous night. He didn't understand why she continued to have her optimistic outlook.

When she spotted him, she ran to his side. He nodded to her and even though it was an underwhelming greeting she was glad that he didn't push her away. She decided that she would continue to help him even if things between them didn't develop. She was happy being with him even if he frustrated her at times. She wondered if he would stay with her after she helped him lift his curse.

"San-chan lent me this book on curses so we should go over them after class," Erika showed him the book excitedly. She wasn't one for reading but hoped the books she took out would help them. He took the text from her and read through some of the curses. It was still early and they had some time before their first class so she hoped they could enjoy their walk

"I hope the weather stays nice like this so we can go back to the lake for our lesson," Erika stared up at the sky. Thought she didn't know if she should be excited since she was exhausted after their last lesson. She was about to tell him about a spell she wanted to learn when she heard someone scream. She barely turned in their direction before a ball hit her in the side of the face.

"Ow," Erika winced and immediately placed a hand over where the ball had strike her. It was already beginning to burn and she hoped that it wouldn't bruise. She looked in the direction where the ball came from and saw a group of boys run towards her. One was significantly older than the rest and looked to be their age. He bowed to her immediately.

"I'm so sorry! I was the one that kicked the ball," He repeatedly apologized to her and she quickly raised her hand to try to stop him. She knew that it was an accident so wanted to tell him that it was okay since she wasn't hurt. Kyouya raised his hand the same time she did and she thought he would act like a prince. Instead, he struck the man.

"Kyouya!" Erika screamed. "You don't need to go that far."

"It's okay," the man bowed his head lower. "It's understandable that a true man would be angry when his woman is hurt. Keep hitting me over and over again if it makes you feel better."

"Will you shut up, Takeru?" Kyouya sighed and the man finally looked up. He smiled and began to hug Kyouya which confused Erika even more. He wasn't pushing him away so he must know the stranger. He had a reluctant smile when he shrugged off Takeru's hug. "You're still as slow as ever. Guess that's why you enjoy playing with children so much. You can feel intelligent."

"Pardon me but do you two know each other?" Erika asked even though she felt as if she was interrupting them. She had never seen Kyouya so comfortable with someone that he would be himself with. When Takeru placed his arm around Kyouya, he didn't push him away. He was much friendlier to Takeru than he was with her so she wondered if they could be close like that one day.

"We're from the same city and been friends since high school!" Takeru boosted and Erika had to note how loud he was. He was odd to say the least but she didn't think there was any ill intent in him. "I'm not a wizard so we got out of touch when he was accepted into the academy. Who would've thought Kyouya would have such a cute girlfriend now."

"You've got it wrong. She's my-" Erika quickly stopped him by covering his mouth. Was he really going to tell Takeru that she was his dog?

"You'll tell me if Kyouya ever makes you cry, won't you Erika? Even if he's my best friend, I need to make sure he treats you like a gentleman. I know Kyouya might be hard to get along with at times but he'll open himself to you eventually." Takeru insisted and Kyouya sighed. He never did listen or give anyone the chance to speak due to his enthusiasm.

"My family just opened a café on campus so you can talk to me whenever you want!" Takeru told both Kyouya and Erika. The children started calling him back to play so he returned to them. Even though he wanted to speak more with them, he knew they had to go to class to. "But Kyouya, I've never seen you this happy in a while."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Put on a shirt and go play with those kids," Kyouya ordered before turning to walk away. Takeru didn't seem insulted by Kyouya's tone and she could see how close they were. Erika admitted then that they were closer than she was with Kyouya. In fact, she had never seen him interact so casually with the other students.

_Kyouya had always been alone at the academy_, Erika stared at his back. She had seen him surrounded by many girls but he never seemed interested in him. What was it like to be surrounded by so many people but not know one? She could count the number of people she interacted with on her hand but she was close to each one.

There was no denying that Takeru probably knew Kyouya longer than anyone and that fact made her want to get to know him better. Maybe he could help her break Kyouya's curse! Even though he wasn't a wizard, maybe he knew how Kyouya got cursed! She could learn so much more about Kyouya now and she was glad to have a new friend.

"I didn't think you had many close friends let alone for you to be close to someone like Takeru. He has a very loud personality." Erika smiled up at Kyouya but was confused at his grimace. His smile was so natural when he was speaking to Takeru so she didn't know why he would be frowning now. Shouldn't he be happy to know that his friend would be working on campus?

"I knew him before I was cursed," Kyouya told her with a disgruntle sigh. "He doesn't know about that and if you tell him I'll throw you out a window. I couldn't stay friends with him since he kept asking me to show him my magic. I just avoided him after a while and we grew distant. If he does ask to see magic, show him your illusions."

"Okay," Erika nodded and Kyouya hoped that would be the end of their conversation.

* * *

"Takeru!" Erika waved to him when she entered his café with Sanda. She wanted to speak to him about Kyouya so went to visit him immediately after class. Even if Takeru didn't know about Kyouya's curse, he could give her insight on his past.

"Erika!" Takeru returned her greeting with twice as much excitement. He was surprised that Kyouya wasn't with her but told himself that the two didn't need to be with each other constantly even if they were dating. He was hoping to speak to his friend more though. "Have a seat over there while I get you guys something to drink."

"To think that we've been going to Takeru's café without knowing it," Erika laughed at the coincidence as she sat at the table. She invited Sanda since she didn't know anyone more knowledgeable in magic than her. She was glad that she now had two friends to help her and hoped that she could make more. "They make the best cakes so I need to ask them for the recipe."

"They're my dad's recipe actually." Takeru came behind her and placed two glasses of water between them. He then handed her a strange pastry she couldn't name. "I made this cake in celebration of yours and Kyouya's relationship! It's an original recipe and a blend of coffee and strawberries to reflect your personalities. Try it!"

"Thank you," Erika said shakily since she couldn't identify either of the flavours he named. While she didn't want to hurt Takeru's feelings, she didn't know if she should risk her health by eating the cake. A thought quickly came to mind and she changed the topic. "So Kyouya hasn't changed much from when he was little? I would love to know more about him."

"He was a normal kid," Takeru smiled when he thought of the trouble they would get into. What he said next shocked her, "Kyouya loved magic and I would always ask him to show me it. It must've annoyed him at some point since he kept telling me no after some point. I think it was around the same time he was accepted into the academy."

"Can you tell me anything more about that time?" Erika quickly asked. If he was cursed recently, Takeru should know who the wizard was. She looked over her shoulder before leaning closer to him and whispered. "The truth is, Kyouya got into a little trouble and I want to help him. I think someone hurt him and I want to know who."

"I don't know if anyone ever broke his heart or if anyone could," Kyouya answered and she knew that he misunderstood her question. "I don't know if someone hurt him to make him act like he does since he's been like this since I met him. I always had a feeling he has been trying to distance himself so I was glad when I saw that he had a girlfriend. I can see he cares about you if he hit me."

"I don't really think he meant anything about that," Erika shyly turned away. While she would like to think he was becoming closer to her, she knew that it wasn't likely. She would have to settle for the time they had together while she helped him. She would help him to the best of her ability even if it meant that he left her sooner.

Erika didn't know if she should ask him any more about Kyouya's past since he would become suspicious. She took out the cursed book from her bad and placed it on the table for both to see. "But getting off the topic, I've been trying to find a way to break this spell and I want your help. I know you're not a wizard but I'll like any opinion. This is for a really important assignment!"

Sanda knew Erika was lying but didn't ask her what her true purpose was. She had never seen that curse before and the academy wouldn't let anyone study curses. But she trusted Erika and knew that she wouldn't take curses lightly. Takeru was ignorant of the situation and looked over the spell earnestly.

"_Heart covered in ice_," Takeru read and thought over it. Then he clapped and cheered, "I know how to break the curse! If the ice heart is the problem, all we need to do is open it. Give it some warmth and pry it open! The best way to do that is make a cake full of love."

"A cake full of love?" Erika tilted her head and wondered if it would work. "I'll try it! Can I borrow your kitchen, Takeru?"

* * *

Kyouya sat at the edge of the river and wondered why Erika was so late. It was over an hour and he was growing tired of waiting. She was the one that wanted to learn magic yet he was the one left waiting. Maybe she was still confused about her feelings and decided to avoid him. He thought he made it clear that she didn't love him and it would be best if she moved on.

They still needed each other and it would be difficult if she fell in love with him. Someone as pure as her was wasted on this world since it was bound to hurt her. Relationships never last longer than illusions so it was better to not bother with feelings like love. "Everyone leaves."

He thought back to the wolf he saw in the forest earlier. Kyouya had never seen it outside his dream before but he sensed a dark magic from it. He closed his eyes and repeated the wolf's words. "_Will you fall for another sweet illusion?_ Like hell I will."

Erika's smile appeared in his mind when he made that vow to himself. Where was she?

Coldness pricked at his heart and he winced. He didn't know why he felt the curse's coldness more often. But the thing that worried him now was the fact that Erika still haven't appeared. He reasoned that searching for her was better than thinking about his feelings any further so Kyouya stood.

* * *

**I have to say I like Takeru's character but no one can be as good as my Nozomi. I can't wait til I get to write him but unfortunately that's not until a couple chapters.**


	6. Bitter Chocolate

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

"Are you sure I should add this much?" Erika looked at the measuring cup skeptically. She had decided to make a cake for Kyouya and enchant them with a healing property to break Kyouya's curse. They didn't know if it would work but she wanted to try.

"Kyouya likes sweet things so we need to add a lot of sugar!" Takeru said confidently and Erika doubted him for a moment before dumping a bountiful amount of sugar into the mixing bowl. She didn't think that Kyouya was the type to like sweets but she didn't think he liked animals either and Takeru known him longer than she did so she should put her trust into him.

She just hoped that the amount of sugar she used wouldn't kill him. They were already having trouble getting along and she doubted killing him would help. She closed her eyes and imagined how Kyouya would react once he ate her cake. A hopeless part of her wanted to believe that the baked goods would win him over but she already told herself that he couldn't love her.

So, she decided to settle for being the one that freed him from his curse. She was reminded of the fairy tales her mother would tell her about the prince saving the princess and them falling in love but she knew that she couldn't have that ending with Kyouya. But she was grateful for being a part of his life and wanted to cherish the time they had together.

"You must really love Kyouya to work so hard on a cake for him" Takeru said wistfully and Erika could tell that he was happy for Kyouya. Seeing that, she felt guiltier for deceiving him since their relationship was a lie. "I feel kinda bad that he didn't come to me when he got his heart broken since he's so distant now. Even if I'm only a human, I would've done anything I could to help him. At least he has you now."

"Yeah…" Erika said shakily. "But you shouldn't feel bad because I'm sure Kyouya didn't want to worry you. He cares about since you're his oldest friend and share a lot of memories. He even told me about all of the trouble you two would get into even if it was mostly you pulling him along. Please don't feel bad about him not telling you."

"He never told me that," Takeru grinned slightly since he knew the kind of person Kyouya was so didn't know if Erika was telling a white lie or if she had truly changed him for the better. She didn't meet his eyes and he determined that the latter was true but would happen eventually. He watched the pair that morning and saw how at ease Kyouya looked.

_He'll have to take that fall eventually but it wouldn't hurt if I help them_, Takeru thought to himself as he watched Erika mixed the batter with more determination than skill. He had to admire her determination and was glad that she had the trait since a meek person would easily bend under Kyouya's attitude. "Maybe we should add another cup of sugar!"

"None of the cook books I went though said to add this much!" Erika's eyes widened when Takeru ignored her and poured another cup of sugar into the mixing bowl. She wanted to question him further but remembered that Takeru knew more about baking and Kyouya than she did so she relented. As long as it broke his curse, he should be happy but she wanted him to enjoy eating it as well.

"Isn't that amount of sugar unhealthy?" The pair looked up to see Sanda walk into the kitchen with several spell books. She could hardly believe that the pair had turned the relatively clean kitchen into a mess in the time it took her to get the books. She knew that Erika had an impulsive and vibrant personality but the state of the kitchen told her that Takeru did as well.

"Thank you for helping us, San-chan!" Erika ran to her side to help her carry the books and Sanda wondered if Erika heard her concern. She agreed to help her enchant the muffins since she knew that the she had to be the responsible one that kept them from digging themselves into a hole. "I know I can always count on you. I'll make some muffins for you too!"

"You really don't have to," Sanda tried to politely declined but Erika already started to prep another set of muffins for her friend. While Erika had a questionable habit of telling white lies, she had a kind heart that gave more than was needed. Sanda always worried over her since she saw Erika as a sister more than just a friend. Since they were little, she was the one that acted as the responsible friend.

"So you're both wizards?" Takeru asked with stars in his eyes. He liked to think that the baked goods he made held a magic of their own but watching wizards cast spells always entranced him. "Erika showed me some of her illusions and I can tell that she'll be a great wizard. Can you show me what your magic is too? I'm sure it's amazing too!"

"It's nothing to behold. I specialize in knowledge based magic but I'm able to use other kind of magic proficiently. The practical uses to my magic lies in creating new spells and magical tools by analyzing the things I find in texts. That's why Erika asked me to help create a recipe for Kyouya."

"San-chan's really talented!" Erika boast contrasted Sanda's humble answer. "She's really smart so archival magic is the perfect fit for her and she master all of the elemental based spells before we graduated high school. She even got into an advance program like Kyouya did."

"You must be really special then," Takeru's enthusiasm made her feel at ease since there was genuine warmth to it. She could easily see that he was good natured like Erika. "I'm glad that my family open this café near the campus since we get a lot of wizards coming in. I even get to meet Kyouya again and now I'm friends with you two!"

"You two are really a pair," Sanda laughed and they were confused by her words. "Kyouya and I were accepted at the same time but I've never seen him willing interact with someone until you two. I'm shocked since you're both so different from him that I wouldn't expect you it of him. I don't know him very well so I can't say that with certainty."

"Sometimes things that don't seem to go together actually do. Like this cake," Takeru took a spoonful of the cake and thrust it into Sanda's mouth before she could react. It shocked her that he fed her so casually and he didn't show any remorse in doing so. She found that the cake he fed her tasted better than she expected though. "The sweetness of the strawberries really offset the bitterness of the chocolate."

"It really is good," Erika tried the cake as well. She was glad that she met Takeru and hoped they would become friends. Between Takeru's baking skills and Sanda's knowledge, they could create an enchanted cake to break Kyouya's curse. She didn't want them to do all the work so stood with renewed determination. "Let's go bake a cake."

* * *

Kyouya saw smoke in the distance and knew that it came from Takeru's café. Erika never came to their lesson so he went to search for her. He didn't know why but his chest felt heavy at the sight of the smoke. Where there was smoke, there was most likely fire and Erika was nowhere to be seen.

While people were running from the café, Kyouya pushed his way through the crowd. The moment he entered, he felt strong magic from the kitchen so powerful that it was overwhelming and he could understand why the customers ran. He saw smoke filtering out of the kitchen and heard several people screaming. "Put out the fire before the cake burns!"

"Cake?" Kyouya repeated, confused, as he ran into the kitchen. It took him a moment to recognize the magic presence but the moment he did, he scowled. It was powerful but also warm and comforting. It was Erika. The smoke had already dispersed when he entered the kitchen to find her covered in flour. "What the hell happened here?"

"Kyouya?" Erika could easily see how angry he was and quickly tried to calm him. She didn't know how to do so as his brows drew lower as he took in the rest of the kitchen. Kyouya could only guess that a tornado caused the damage to Takeru's kitchen but that didn't explain the smoke and charred walls. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that question," Kyouya shot back. "Why should I be wasting time teaching you magic when you're not even going to show up to my lessons? Do you know how long I've been waiting for you? And when I went looking for you I find that you're making a mess of my friend's kitchen. I don't know why I even bother to worry about you."

"You were worried about me?" Erika knew that it was silly of her to focus on that one sentence when he was frowning at her but she was happy to know that he was thinking of her. He crossed his arms and demanded for her to explain the situation. She was so absorbed in breaking the curse that she forgot about his lesson but if she told him that, he would be angrier.

"I'm really sorry I forgot," Erika bowed her head since she couldn't lie to him. Kyouya didn't know how she could look so happy when he was so frantic only a moment ago. He didn't know why he even felt worried about her and that only frustrated him more. Why did her smile always confuse him to the point he wanted to scream?

She didn't notice how frustrated he was as she explained, "You see I wanted to make a fire like you showed me but it got out of hand. I tried to put out the fire by making a vertex but I made a tornado instead. Luckily San-chan was able to contain my magic before it destroyed the café. I can't say the same for the kitchen but we can fix it easily."

"Are you an idiot?" Kyouya found himself asking her in a low voice and she immediately recognized it as that of a dark prince. Her dark straighten and she turned back to calm him. "Why would you use a spell that you barely master in a crowded place? How can you so easily say that you'll fix this kitchen when you were the one that destroyed it?"

Erika didn't want to bow under his angry glare and stood firm. Even when Takeru came to her defense, she screamed over him. "I know I can fix this with magic-"

"Don't talk like magic is this great cure for everything. I tried to fix my problems with magic and look where it got me! Stop being so idealistic and see things for what they really are. You could've destroyed Takeru's means of living if Sanda wasn't here."

"You don't need to get mad," Takeru came between the two when he saw guilt cloud Erika's eyes. "I'm just glad that no one's hurt since a kitchen can be fixed. Erika obviously feels bad for messing up her spell so you don't need to be so hard on her. She was just trying to make a cake for you. You're dating so you shouldn't be yelling at her like this."

"She's not my girlfriend," Kyouya said coldly. "I didn't get to tell you before but you clearly misinterpret out relationship. We're helping each other but beyond that we don't know a thing about each other. You know that I don't want to bother with relationship so you shouldn't bother with doing something like baking me a cake."

"Magic doesn't cause pain, your words do!" Erika challenged. She was only trying to help him but he did nothing but yell at her. Letting her anger get the better of her, she took the unfinished cake and thrust it into her face. Everything became silent for a moment and Erika realized what she did. She stepped back and waited to see Kyouya's reaction.

He didn't say a word as he wiped the thick dough from his face. Kyouya stared down at her and she clenched her teethes from anger. Not wanting to stay in the same room as him, she ran from his stare but made sure to scream over her shoulder. "Yell at me but you deserved that!"

Kyouya watched her go and wonder what she would do next. She was the most emotional woman he ever met and he didn't know why she wore her heart so blatantly on her sleeve. While most women he knew used their tears and anger to manipulate, there was genuine pain in her eyes. He watched her leave but didn't know if he should follow her or wait until her emotions subsided.

"Aren't you going to follow her?" Takeru demanded when he saw Kyouya starting to clean the kitchen. He didn't think it was his place to interfere with their argument but he couldn't watch them anymore. Even though he said that they weren't dating, Takeru thought that they were close.

Kyouya clicked his tongue at Takeru's words. "Shouldn't you be angry? She destroyed your kitchen and could've hurt herself. This is why I always tell her that magic brings nothing but pain."

"You can stop the tough act now." Sanda crossed her arms and he was surprised that she spoke so sternly since she always spoke encouragingly to Erika. "You should be kinder to Erika considering that she's trying to help you break your curse and has kept it a secret. She thought that baking you this enchanted cake would help you but you're not grateful for everything she's doing."

"She told you?"

"No she didn't," Sanda defended quickly. "I've known her long enough to know when she's lying to me. She told me that it was for a project but I can easily figure out the truth. I found it strange how you never interacted with students before Erika and I know now. Don't think that you can use my friend's kindness and then throw it in her face!"

"Is that why you stopped showing me magic?" Takeru was shocked and didn't know what else to say.

"It's my problem so you don't need to concern yourself with me." Kyouya ordered but Sanda didn't back away from him. She looked from him to the books scattering the kitchen table and Kyouya followed her gaze. There were many notes in Erika's handwriting and he wondered how she was able to collect so much information in so short a time.

She was working hard to help him and he yelled at her. Kyouya didn't even know why he felt so many emotions since meeting her and he could only guess that her habit of showing her emotions was rubbing off on him. He had to admit that he was able to be himself with her since he didn't have to pretend to be a prince around her.

Kyouya made sure that he wiped all of the dough from his face before he started to leave the room himself. Takeru called out to him, "Even if you two aren't dating, Erika cares about you. I've helped her bake this cake for you and saw how desperately wants to help you. I know she should be the one to tell you this but I think she has feelings for you. As a man you need to reply to her feelings honestly."

"I know she loves me," Kyouya said softly as he remembered her confession the previous night. She saw the darker half of his prince persona yet she expressed her love so easily. It something beyond the superficial admiration he got from other girls. What could she possibly see in him when he spent years trying to repress it behind a princely mask?

"I only want this damn curse gone," Kyouya didn't know if he was trying to deter Takeru from pushing him into a relationship with Erika or trying to convince himself that the curse was his only motivation for staying with Erika. He walked with purpose though, "It's my job as a man to watch over her since she's lost without someone to help her."

* * *

"Kyouya you're such a jerk," Erika threw another stone across the river to vent her frustration. It skipped over the river until it sunk into the water and she wished she could make her feelings disappear as easily. She was about to throw another rock when she noticed that her throwing the rocks made the fish nervous.

She knelt over the river bend and placed her hand into the water so she could touch one of the fish. She went to the river Kyouya showed her since it was calming even though it made her think of him. Erika asked the fish even though she didn't have the ability to understand them or speak with them. "Why can't he talk to me like a normal person? My heart's a complete wreck because of him."

"That's hardly a reason to throw yourself into a river," A voice mocked behind her and she turned to see Kyouya standing above her. Her heart beat faster at the sight of him for a moment before she remembered that she was mad at him and turned her nose up at him in a huff. He ignored her attitude and held out a hand to her. "C'mon, let's go home."

"Why are you here?" Erika turned away from him and kept her eyes on the river to avoid his gaze. She flinched when her eyes met his in the river and wished that he would leave before he hurt her further. Even though he followed her, there was no emotion on his face so she couldn't know if he truly felt guilty for hurting her. "Just leave me alone."

He didn't leave right away and it annoyed her that he was knowingly affecting her heart. Erika placed her hand in the water and created the illusion of food to make the fish gather around them. It was a cowardly thing to do but she hoped that he would run before the effects of the curse caused him pain. She just wanted to be alone with her feelings without Kyouya confusing them.

He didn't give her that luxury as he sat beside her. Erika immediately pulled her hand back from the water and the illusion she created faded. She hated how no matter how much he hurt her, she couldn't bring herself to hurt him back willingly. Kyouya knew her intent and was surprised when she pulled her hands so quickly. "So my dog has sharp fangs."

"I'm not a dog, I'm a person." Erika muttered though she didn't have the energy to yell at him again. She felt melancholy after her burst of anger subsided. She wondered what she would have to do to be seen as an equal in his eyes. She didn't say anything more so Kyouya asked.

"Why did you think doing something as silly as baking a cake would break my curse?"

"I wanted to melt the ice in your heart," Erika told him though she found it silly now that she thought about it. "The plan was to enchant the cake to weaken the curse. It probably wouldn't work because we don't know how it works exactly, only the effect it has on you. I wanted to use my magic to make the cake taste good but you saw how well that turned out."

"Are you giving up?" He asked her with an even voice and she wondered if he thought she would or if he was challenging her. "If that's the case then I should look for another illusion wizard. When my curse is activated, it's my heart that hurts the most so you might be on the right track. If that's what it takes to lift my curse, pry my heart open. What do you want to do now?"

He held out his hand to her once more and she stared at it, wondering what she should do. If she stayed by his side and helped him lift his curse, she would only be rewarded with more heart break. Could she really pry open his heart to see the true Kyouya beneath? What if the cold façade was all that laid beneath the ice he protected himself with?

"I'm going to show you the truth behind illusions and open your heart to magic," Erika promised but her voice was uncertain. Could she do something so difficult even if it was Kyouya's sake? Her fate was sealed once she took his outstretched hand. "I'm going to bake you the warmest cake that's so filled with love that your curse won't stand a chance."

"The magic of love? That sounds like the solution a cliché romance would have. I'm surprised that Takeru even suggested you make me something like that since he knows I hate sweet things." Kyouya sighed and a look of depression crossed Erika's face. He remembered the many books she gathered in Takeru's kitchen and how excited she was to make something for him.

"But I'll eat it if you make it to break my curse," Kyouya relented. "I can't stand sweet things but I like coffee flavour or bitter chocolate cake. Even if it wasn't for my curse, I can't reject something you make me. It's a present from my dog, after all."

Erika knew she should've been insulted by his last comment but she was excited that he was willing to accept food she made for him. She also learned something new about him and hoped that she would continue to learn more. He helped her stand and, still holding hands, they walked back to the café. She followed a little behind him but she hoped that one day she would walk by his side instead.

_  
Kyouya sat on the bench outside Takeru's café and waited for Erika to finish baking. He didn't know why she insisted that he stay outside to since she wanted to surprise him. He already knew that she was making him a cake so there was no reason to keep him outside.

"I'll never understand that girl," Kyouya muttered to himself. He knew that the only reason she could be so optimistic was because she was sheltered so wondered how long she would keep that outlook. It should've annoyed him but it was so pure that he found himself pitying her. Why did the world create his image that day out of the thousand students in the school?

With nothing better to do, Kyouya opened the book to read over the spell again. He already read it a thousand times but every time he did he hoped to find the key to freeing himself. Erika showed him the passage that appeared in the book but he didn't know why it did. If there were words hidden in the pages, what unlocked them.

He was shocked when he turned the page and found it slightly glowing. The light dimmed when he touched the page. _Knowledge can make illusions clearer but that comes with time and patient_.

Kyouya was focused on the book that he didn't notice the snow starting to fall around him. It wasn't cold so he didn't take notice until the snow fell onto the book. He looked up to see the wolf standing before him but Kyouya knew that it wasn't really there since he didn't feel pain.

"This is just another illusion like the one you promised me. I told you that I don't want to be bother with anything you offer me so give up." Kyouya told the wolf but it didn't respond. He gave it a bitter grin and the wolf ran from him so Kyouya hoped that it would be the last time he saw it but he doubted that would be true.

"Kyouya!" The storm faded once Erika's cheerful voice reached him. She ran out of the café and held out the cake to him with a wide grin. It was obvious she didn't see the illusion and he didn't bother to tell her about it. He told himself that it didn't concern her but another part of him could easily see the worried face she would make if he told her.

"Try it!" She thrust the cake onto his lap. She sat next to him and eagerly waited to see his reaction as he ate the cake. He didn't give her the praise she hoped for but he didn't give her the scorn she expected either. Even if it was hopeless, she felt as if they were becoming closer when he grunted.

"It tastes better than I thought it would." He continued to eat the cake. Kyouya knew that she wanted more from him but still looked satisfied by his answer. He found the expression endearing in a strange way and placed a hand over her hair. "Thank you."

* * *

**I know I haven't updated this for a while but I was writing the first chapter to the last three books to my "Stolen Series". I'm back to writing this though ^-^ and I'm happy to do so.**


	7. Calm Before the Storm

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

Three months and nothing, Kyouya sighed as he waited for Erika's class to end. They tried every spell and charm possible but nothing seemed to bring him closer to breaking his curse. He wondered if it was pointless and he would have to accept his curse.

"Kyouya!" Erika stepped out of the building and spotted him immediately. She ran to his side and gave him a large smile. He had seen it so often so he became accustomed to it. "I think I thought of the perfect way to break your curse! I'm certain it will work this time. I'll transfer your curse to a voodoo doll. I just learned about it in class."

"You can do that?" Kyouya asked with caution. She nodded and showed him the notes she took during class. Usually, she found the topics they taught her in class boring but she tried to concentrate more to learn of more ways to help Kyouya. While she was confident in her plan, Kyouya had to be weary of them considering that his health was the one at risk.

They started to walk as she continued to explain the spell to him. In the past three months, they had fallen into a comfortable pattern. After their classes were finished, they would walk to the river to practice magic or try one of her outrageous plans. Afterwards, they spend time together doing little of anything until she had to return to her dorm.

Erika felt as if they gotten closer since they started their farce even though he still complained. She liked to think that they were friends at least and might become something more. Maybe when his curse was lifted, he would let her stay by his side. Just thinking about it made her heart light and she started to daydream about a fanciful future where he loved her.

"How long are you going to stare into space?" Kyouya reached out and pulled on her cheek to get her attention. She fumbled to a stop and tried to hit his hand away. Erika didn't know why he insisted on pinching her cheeks all the time and rubbed them to lull the pain.

"Actually, I can't practice magic with you today since I need to go into town." Erika told him and he wondered what her reason could be. "I want to buy some gifts since it's almost Christmas!"

Kyouya sighed when she mentioned the holiday. He should've predicted that would be into the holiday. She knew that Kyouya was pessimistic towards most things but she didn't expect his next words. "Christmas is complete bullshit. What's so fun about it? It's always crowded and doing errands becomes all the more troublesome. Not to mention they play the same five Christmas song over and over again."

"What? How can you say that about the most wonderful time of the year?" She asked before a wistful light appeared in her eyes. "It's the one time that everything's a little more magical and everyone's a little more generous. It's a holiday full of love and represents everything good about humanity. Even if the snow is cold, it's beautiful and creates the illusion of this great wonderland."

"Of course you would think that," Kyouya sighed. She was the most idealistic person he knew and that was reflected in her light steps now. She skipped a few steps in front of him and turned in a circle though he didn't know why. The sky seemed to endear itself to her as it started to snow that moment. He could sense magic around them so wondered if she was the one that created the snow.

"Stop staring out in space and let's go," Kyouya ordered. She looked confused so explained. "I have something I need to do in town so I'll take you. Lord knows, you'll probably find trouble if I'm not there. If you don't hurry up, I'll leave you behind."

"I'm coming!" Erika called to him excitedly and ran to his side with much lighter steps.

"Man this is troublesome," Kyouya hoped the snow would end soon. His breath created a haze in the air and blew into his hands to keep them warm. She stopped him and he was confused when she rummaged through her bag before holding out a knitted scarf towards him. "What is this for?"

"I was going to give this to you on Christmas but I thought you looked cold so I'm giving it to you now!" He was much taller than her so she had to stand on her toes to be able to wrap it around his neck. Erika could feel his heart and her heart started to beat faster. A part of her wanted to give it to him to have the opportunity to stand close to him.

"I didn't get anything for you for Christmas," He told her but she didn't look disappointed as she laughed. Even after three months of being together, she didn't think he would give her a gift. The way he insulted the holiday confirmed her thoughts as well. What gave her hope was, no matter how troublesome he said it was, he stayed by her side and kept her company.

"Excuse me," A store vendor stopped him when they walked into the town. It was obvious that the vendor wanted to sell him something and it annoyed him that her motivation was transparent as she held out a ring. "It's almost Christmas so you should buy your present for your girlfriend now. These rings are very popular with young women!"

Kyouya looked from the flashy ring to Erika. She hadn't notice the shop clerk stop him and continued to another stand that sold less flashy items. She carefully looked over each charm before buying one and returning to him. He could easily read the vendor's thoughts as she looked between him and Erika so he quickly made his escape. "It's alright. I wouldn't buy something so gaudy for my woman, anyways."

He took her hand and pulled her away. While they had to keep the appearance of being a couple, Kyouya felt uncomfortable with the expectation that came with it. He didn't understand why people insist that one participate in so many clichés when relationships were only temporary. Everything had an expiry date and relationships were another example.

"Well that was one way to say no but you could've been much kinder," Erika sighed as they walked. She wondered what people would think if they found out that this was his true nature. People always compared him to a prince and she laughed inwardly at that.

"If I didn't reject her, she would've pestered me to buy that silly ring." Kyouya shrugged and stole a glance at her from the corner of his eyes. She looked deep in thought and he wondered what she was thinking. He pinched her cheek, "Maybe you're disappointed that I didn't but it for you. If you want a present, I'll get you a collar."

"A collar?" Erika asked shocked. "Like a dog collar?"

"Don't shout like that, I was just joking." Kyouya laughed at her expression. She was too easy to read and he liked to see the many expression her face could make.

"But it would've been nice to receive a present from you," Erika whispered to herself. He raised a brow at her and she blushed harder and pulled her scarf over her face to hide it. Though she was nervous, she spoke in a louder voice. "Getting a gift from someone you like is special. I don't really care what it is or how much it cost as long as there's love behind it."

"I don't know if you're simpleminded or just easily satisfied. Most women would demand a lot more even if we're only pretending to be dating." Kyouya noted though he didn't meant it as an insult. His tone didn't match his intent and Erika thought he was teasing her so she puffed her cheeks in annoyance. She was so different from the other girls he knew and it was refreshing to watch her honest emotions.

Kyouya notice that the bags she was carrying were beginning to accumulate. Without thinking, he took some of the bags from her and grunted. "What do you have in here? I didn't think you were one to waste so much money on things like this."

"I got some things for San-chan and her family. I also bought some cooking utensils for Takeru." Erika listed off the presents she bought and Kyouya head started to spin. She didn't know many people but she bought present to represent their personality and interests. When he asked her what she was planning to get her mother, she became quiet.

Kyouya knew that Erika was close to her mother so didn't know why she looked so nervous. She blushed and fumbled with her fingers as she spoke. "I got her this hairclip. I enchanted it so that it would keep the sun from getting into her eyes. I also wanted to make a card for her and have all of her old friends signed it."

"And?" Kyouya pushed her to go on since he knew there was something more.

"I was just planning to get her that one present but then she asked for something else," Erika was obviously nervous and he wondered what her mother could want. "I know you'll probably say no but please reconsider since I want to make her happy. In her last letter she kept asking about you and if she could have a memento. So please take a picture with me!"

"A picture?" Kyouya didn't know why she was making such a fuss about a simple gift. She bowed her head low to him and it was obvious that she wanted to make her mother happy with the simple gift. He didn't understand the value in sending a picture as a gift and would've told her no. Just as he started to speak, she looked up at him with large brown eyes that begged him to help.

"Will that tree be good enough?' He asked her in a flat tone but it was enough of an answer to make her heart beat faster. She stood straighter and thanked with a wide grin. Erika didn't expect him to give in without a fight but she was glad.

"Thank you so much!" She took his hand and pulled him towards the large tree in the center of the town. There were already several couples waiting for an artist to paint their likeness and Erika wondered how long they would have to wait. She didn't want to take too much of Kyouya's time since he was being surprisingly kind today.

"I think I have an idea!" Erika took out her wand and Kyouya didn't know if he should be worried. While her magical ability had improved, he was still weary of it. She left the line and motioned for him to follow which he did with little complaint. He found that he would follow her more often but told himself that it was because he didn't have anything better to do.

She took a picture frame from her bag and held it arm's length from them. Looking at the frame, he saw that it cast a reflection and knew that she was planning to create the picture of them in it with a spell. She was much shorter than him so she was struggling to fit them in the frame as well as the tree. She bit her lip in frustration as she leaned back against his chest.

"Give it to me," he reached around her and took the picture frame from her hands. He had many women so he didn't know why he was more aware of her presence than others before her. Erika wondered if he was about to feel her heart beating faster as he held her closer. He easily positioned the frame to capture them both, "Smile and use your spell."

"Okay," Erika nodded and quickly made a picture of their reflection appear in the frame. He moved away from her but she was rooted to the spot as she stared at the photo. They were so close to each other and a part of her wanted to keep it for herself. At the same time, it made her heart heavy since they looked like a couple but they weren't.

"Erika, it's cold so let's go home." Kyouya called to her and she finally noticed that he had walked some distance from her. He looked disinterested so she couldn't help but feel silly since she was the only excited over the photo. She already decided to stay by his side since she loved him but watching him be so indifferent of her feelings hurt her.

"If you're finished buying all the gifts, then there's no reason to stay in this crowd." Kyouya looked over his shoulder to her but noticed that the snow was beginning to fall harder around him like before. He sensed a familiar magic but knew that it wasn't Erika's. She grabbed her heart and fell to her knees. He was by her side and placed a hand in a moment. "What's wrong?"

"My chest hurts," She told him. A crowd started to gather around them and Kyouya didn't want to be bothered with their questions so quickly threw them a glare. He started to snap and tell them to go on with their day but stopped when she grabbed onto his sleeve. He sighed and knelt in front of her.

"Get on, I'll carry you home." His voice was cold but she felt warmth spread through her heart. When she thought of how he didn't return her feelings, she felt a pain in her chest but seeing him before her now made her forget it. She was so surprised that he was offering to help her that she could only stare at him. "If you don't get on, I'll leave."

He started to stand but then felt a soft weight on his back. Even though he knew that it was Erika, he looked back to see that her face was content. He mumbled something beneath his breath but stood and carried her on his back. He knew she was small but it surprised him how light she was and it reminded him how fragile she was. And he was pulling her into his trouble and curse.

"I'm sorry for the trouble," Erika whispered though he was the one that should be the one to apologize since he caused her as much trouble as she had him. "Did you need to do something in town too? It's not that bad anymore so I can walk."

"It's not that important so don't worry about it." Kyouya said after a moment and didn't look back at her. He didn't say anything more but it was enough for her. Erika placed her head on his shoulder and smiled to herself. He didn't need to go into town with her but he did and the thought made her happy.

* * *

"Which do you think is better," Erika sat in Kyouya's living room surrounded by wrapping paper. She wanted to wrap the presents she bought earlier that week but didn't want Sanda to find her presents so decided to wrap them at Kyouya's house instead of her dorm.

Kyouya looked bored as he sat behind her and shrugged without answering. He looked as if his thoughts were far away and she wondered what he was thinking of. How many times had she sat with him after their lessons? "Does wrapping paper even matter?"

Erika automatically puffed her cheeks and Kyouya chuckled since she reacted as he predicted she would. He leaned back in his chair as she pulled out her bag. He watched her from the corner of his eye as she moved to his side. "If you're going to be such a jerk, I won't help you anymore. I even found the perfect way to break your curse."

"I'm too tired to bother with magic anyways," Kyouya took her bag from her and threw it across the room. She quickly reached for it and used her magic to summon a wind bring it back to her. He had to admit that he was impressed since her skill had improved. He placed a hand over her head and put her like he would a pet, "I see even a dog like you can improve."

"I'm not a dog, I'm a wizard." Erika corrected him. She yawned and looked out the window to see that it was growing late and that the snow was falling heavier. "I should be going home soon before the storm gets any worst. I don't want San-chan to worry about me. Thank you for having me."

Erika stood to leave but the moment she opened his door to leave a strong wind blew her back. She landed against Kyouya's chest and he forced the door closed before any more snow could invade his home. He groaned when the lights around his home went out, as did the street light outside. She let out a yelp and clung to his arm because of the sudden darkness.

"It doesn't look like you'll be going home any time soon," Kyouya told her. "You can't walk through that snow so you can stay here. It looks like the snow is blocking the flow of magic in the lights too. Just wait in the living room while I get some blankets from my room. There should be some candles on the shelf so light those so we're not walking through the dark."

"Okay," Erika nodded but Kyouya was already walking away. He easily made his way through the darkness and she wondered how long he was cursed since he seemed accustomed to living without magic. She didn't know if she could live without her magic like he was forced to. Still distracted by thoughts of him, she searched for the candles.

She wanted to conserve her magic so only made a small light to help her find the candles. As she searched for them, her hand hit a box and it tumbling to the ground. Panicking slightly, she went to pick it up and found that it was full of old photos. Curious, she looked over her shoulder to make sure Kyouya wasn't watching before looking over the photos.

She knew that looking at them was wrong since he was a private person but she couldn't help herself. Erika lit a few candles and began to go over them. The first was of him and a dog playing in the snow. His innocent and happy face made her heart melt since it was so unlike the Kyouya she knew now. What made him lose that smile and how could she bring it back?

The next was of him in front of a cake and she guessed that it was his birthday. The older couple behind him was obviously his parents and she thought of when he told her that they were separated. His indifferent tone worried her since they looked so happy in the photograph. There were so many photos of happy moments that she couldn't believe that they were apart now.

A photo tugged at her. It was of Kyouya's mother handing him a puppy since his smile was so pure yet she knew that he would lose that smile as well as the dog. From the Christmas decorations placed around the house, she knew that the dog was meant to be a Christmas present and thought of her own gift. The scarf was a thoughtful gesture but she doubted he thought much of it.

"He really loves dog." Erika noted since the photos he looked happiest in were with his dog. She wished that she could give him one for Christmas to make him smile again but knew that he couldn't have one with his curse. A thought came to her and she jumped into action. "That's it! And Kyouya thinks that magic only bring pain but I'll show him the truth."

"Are you talking to yourself? Can you stop for a moment and help me bring in these blankets?" Kyouya voice came from the hall and she quickly put away the photos. She didn't want him to know she looked through the photos since it would only make him angry. "If you don't help me, I'm not going to let you use a blanket."

"I'm coming!" Erika screamed once she placed the bow back in its place. Her mind was elsewhere while she helped him though and Kyouya quickly picked up on it. While she could be absentminded at times, he knew she wouldn't be so distracted unless something was on her mind. He told himself that it wasn't his place to ask but still wondered about it.

She had a wide grin as she hummed to herself while wrapping the remaining present. Kyouya knew that she was keeping something from him since she continued to look over her shoulder at him with a knowing grin. It should've worried him but he doubted that she intended to hurt him since she wasn't capable of doing so.

"Do you hear that?" Erika's head came up and he strained his ear until he could hear a dog whimpering in the background. Kyouya knew that it was in pain but with the storm still upon them, there was nothing he could do. Erika didn't have the same thought for she was already rushing to put on her jacket. "It sounds really close!"

"You can't go out into that storm?" Kyouya went to take her arm. Erika knew that it was dangerous but someone needed her help, even if it was just an animal. She couldn't ignore it and knew that even if the yelping stopped, it would play on her mind. He could see those thoughts reflected on her face so tried to argue with her again. "Don't be foolish!"

"If I don't help it, no one will!" Erika looked back out the door. Kyouya wanted to argue but knew that she was much too pure to ignore a cry for help. He knew her good nature would bring her trouble but didn't think it would put her in danger. "I'll be right back, I promise. I just want to make sure it's not hurt. I'm sure if you weren't cursed you would do the same!"

_You think too much of me_, Kyouya thought but dropped his hand from her arm. He took a lantern from the wall and held it out to her. "If you don't find the stupid animal in five minutes, come right back."

* * *

"Did she forget her phone or something?" Kyouya yelled at his own phone as he tried to call Erika for the fifth time. Half an hour had already passed and he was starting to worry about her. It was natural for him to worry about her but he didn't understand why he also felt panicked and empty. He didn't know if he should go after her in case she returned.

He sat on the couch and debated what to do next. As he did so, the candles flickered and he saw that the box he placed on the shelf was disturbed. He scowled when he found that the photos were misplaced and knew that Erika looked through them. With cold hands, he tried to organize them again until he found a necklace long forgotten by him.

He only moved when his phone rang. Kyouya thought it was Erika but heard Sanda yelling instead. "Kyouya? Is Erika with you? She called me to say that she was saying with you because of the storm but I just want to check up on her. I'm worried since there's rumour of a suspicious guy luring away girls-"

Kyouya didn't wait to hear her finish before turning off his phone and running out the door. The moment he heard about the suspicious guy, he thought of Erika. He was still pulling on his cloak as he ran out the door and was immediately struck by the cold. He barely felt it since his only thought was finding Erika before anything could happen.

The snow blinded him but he moved forward. He faced the forest and gritted his teeths. Kyouya didn't know why but his gut told him that she was in the forest. Only an idiot would run into the forest in severe weather but he did so now. "Damn it Erika! Where are you? If you don't answer me I'll leave you out here in the snow!"

Kyouya only stopped when he was out of breath. He leaned against the tree and knew that he only damned himself. Looking around the forest, he couldn't recognize which direction he came from. He couldn't help Erika much less himself and that frustrated him. With nothing else to take out his frustration, he punched the tree he was leaning against.

It caused a scrape on his knuckles but he barely felt its pain. Kyouya leaned his head against his hand and whispered. "Just where did you go?"

"Kyouya?" He turned sharply to see Erika standing behind him, looking concerned. She didn't look hurt and was staring at him in confusion. "What are you doing out here in the cold? I was on my way back and you can catch a cold."

"Y- You- You stupid dog!" Kyouya screamed in frustration. He didn't know why his heart felt tight with frustration yet light with relief at the same time. It was so confusing to him that he could only yell. "Why did you completely disappear like that? Did you know how many times I've called you in the last ten minutes? How dare you casually say that when I was worried? What were you even doing?"

"I was at the supermarket," Erika answered nervously. She had never seen him so mad before and tried to calm him. "After I found the dog stuck in a trapper's net, I realized how cold it was. I thought I'll buy some firestones to keep us warm since the heat's not working anymore. I was walking back when I heard you calling for me."

He didn't know if he should be angry since she was only thinking of him. A wolf cry cut through the night and reminded him of the danger she could've been in. "You really are an idiot. You could've just told me first instead of making me think something happened to you. Really a dog like you should be punished."

"What?" She didn't think he would be so angry but he started to raise his hand and she closed her eyes reflexively. When she felt a weight around her neck instead of pain, she opened her eyes to find a necklace around her neck. It was small but she thought that it was beautiful.

"A collar," He told her. Kyouya touched the chain and she felt how cold his hands were. It was cold but he searched for her long enough to make the heat leave his hands. "I can't keep an eye on you but this necklace should be enough to protect you."

"Protect me from what?" Erika asked but he didn't answer. It was obvious that he was worried about her and that touched her heart. She took his hand with the intent of warming it with her body heat. "Oh well, I'll protect you from the cold."

"Do what you want," Kyouya didn't fight her. He looked back when he heard another wolf howl but Erika didn't seem to hear it. He tightened his hand around hers. Kyouya didn't know why he gave her the necklace but when he did, it felt right. He thought of the words his mother told him when she first gave him the box but still didn't understand them.

"_One day, you'll find someone you want to protect so give this to her._"

* * *

**Man this was long! I just didn't know how to split this into two chapters without messing up the pacing.**


	8. Love Lessons

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

"Isn't it beautiful?" Erika cheeks were flush with happiness and pride as she showed Sanda the necklace Kyouya gave her. After they left the forest, the snow cleared and she was able to return to the dorm. He didn't say much when he left but she treasured the necklace he gave her. She didn't know why he gave it to her and was lightly worried about his words, _it should protect you_.

"I wonder what these mean," Sanda studied the small engraving on the heart charm. It was barely visible and Sanda wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't sensed the vague magic it omitted. She didn't know what kind of magic it was but knew that the spell had to be powerful if even she had trouble detecting it. She wondered who the wizard that made the charm was.

"I don't know but Kyouya gave it to me so I trust him." Erika said with a wistful tone but Sanda didn't know if Erika should be so trusting of people. She knew that it was something Erika couldn't help but it could put her in danger if the wrong person took advantage of her. She just hoped that Kyouya wouldn't be that person since Erika's heart was a fragile thing.

It was obvious from watching her that she had fallen for Kyouya and wanted to stay by his side despite him already rejecting her. Sanda wanted to protect her friend but didn't know if she could. Erika looked up at the sky and smiled. "I love the snow! Something good always seem to happen when it snows. First I met the boy that showed me magic and now Kyouya gave me his first gift."

Erika clapped her hand and cheered. "I'm even more determined to break his curse. I just wish there was a way for me to learn more powerful magic. Learning from you and Kyouya is okay but I feel like I can still learn more."

"How about you try to get into the advance program with me and Kyouya? Right now, they're having test for normal students that want to advance. It's very difficult but I'm sure you'll do well since you've improved in your magic." Sanda suggested and Erika thought it over for a moment. "Being in the advance program will allow you access to many more books that can help Kyouya."

Erika took the pamphlet Sanda showed her. She already knew about the test but didn't know if she should take it. Failing the test wouldn't affect her academic standings but knowing that her magic wasn't at the same level as her friends. She hated to think that she was a burden to them. It would also mean that her father was right and she was wasting her time learning magic.

"If I pass the test, I can be in the same class as you and Kyouya!" The revolution suddenly came to Erika and her eyes beamed. When she was in class, she felt alone because she didn't know many people but if she was in the same class as the two she wouldn't have to worry. With a more positive thought in her mind, she looked over the pamphlet again. "I'll try it! I'll only need to study extra hard now."

"I'm sure you'll do well." Sanda said with an encouraging smile and Erika placed the brochure in her bag.

The two discussed the subjects she would be tested on so didn't notice the crowd in front of them. Erika bumped into one of the girls and quickly apologized as she stepped aside to walk around them. She wondered about the crowd since it seemed like they were surrounding one person but was pulled away by Sanda, telling her to concentrate on the test.

Someone left the group and picked up the pamphlet the dropped from Erika's bag. He had overheard Erika and Sanda's conversation and had to admit that he was curious since they mentioned Kyouya. "You're the same as ever, aren't you Kyouya? You still have girls chasing you like that first day. But it'll be interesting if we're in the same class."

* * *

"I don't know if I can do this," Erika stared at the crowd outside the amphitheatre in amazement. A number of other students were taking the test as well and she hoped that she could stand out enough to pass the test. Kyouya and Sanda taught her a lot over the months and she didn't want to let it go to waste.

"I already wrote to my parents about taking the test so I can't fail now! My mother's wishing me well but I still need to prove myself to my father." Erika tried to lift her spirit and reminded herself why she was taking the test. She took out the letter her mother wrote her and read over her encouraging words again. "She's right! All I need to do is believe in myself like others do and I'll do fine!"

"You and your mother must be close," Erika turned to see Kyouya standing behind her. She was shocked to see him. The test could be watched by anyone but Kyouya said that he didn't want to be bothered by the event. She thought that he was on his way to Takeru's café but he pinched her cheek. "If you don't hurry, you'll be late for the test. I'm going to watch you pass."

"You are?" Erika said excitedly. In truth, he didn't know why he was going to see her take the test but he remembered her happy face when she told him about learning more powerful magic. Even though she was glad Kyouya decided to watch her participate, it also made her nervous. Failing in front of strangers hurt less than failing in front of someone she loved.

"You don't need to make such a big deal about it." Kyouya told her. "It'll be strange if your fake boyfriend doesn't go and support you."

"I guess that makes sense," Erika laughed shakily before she turned her head slightly to hide her pout from him. She thought he wanted to help her but he was only teasing her. She leaned her head dejectedly to the side and sighed. "You can learn to be a little nicer, you know?

"Do you think it's safe for you to be at the tournament when you're cursed? What if an animals causes it to activate." He left to help her on a whim, something he wouldn't usually do, but was only reminded how pathetic he was with the curse hanging over his head. He didn't let any of his emotion appear on his face but Erika had the strange ability to know how he was feeling.

"But I'm glad you thought of me and, as long as we're careful, you can watch!" Erika took his hand and gave him another smile. He rolled his eyes at her encouragement since it was so typical of her. She always thought of other's happiness and tried to make them happy. "I'm going to sign in now. Takeru will be watching too so you'll have someone to talk with while you wait."

"I just have nothing better to do today so don't get any weird ideas about this." Kyouya said since he couldn't bring himself to tell her no. He told himself that if he didn't watch her, she would be distracted during the test and doom herself. The only reason he wanted her to succeed should be because he needed her to break his curse. He forced himself to think it but it held less truth than when he first met her.

He shrugged and went towards the stands where Takeru was waving to them. Erika went to the booth to sign in. As she was signing her name, someone came beside her and took the pen from her hand. She didn't recognize the man but he smiled as if he knew her. He dangled a piece of paper and the pen in front of her, "Your name please."

"What?" She was confused and uncomfortable by his forward attitude but he didn't seem to notice. She tried to think of the best way to leave without being rude. He had a boyish charm and Erika knew that if he approached another girl, she would be smitten but she only had eyes for Kyouya. "My name's Erika and I must be going."

"Are you going to participate in the test as well?" His question stopped her for a moment. "I hope that you won't see me as an enemy, my princess. You see when I first laid eyes on you, me heart knew that you were meant for me. Maybe after this, you can give me a chance and be my Friday girl. We'll have some fun together."

_What a liar!_ Erika thought. She could read his smirk and knew that his intention didn't match his words so she wondered what he wanted from her. While she wanted to believe in people, her gut told her that his flowery words were nothing but lip service and she felt offended that he would use love so shamelessly. "I'm sorry but I have a boyfriend. I won't be your girlfriend."

"I have a strict no girlfriend policy actually," Erika was shocked when he laughed at her misunderstanding. He leaned closer to her but kept his smile, "I have a date for every day of the week but my Friday just cancelled on me so I was looking for another girl to fill it. I'm still young so I want to try dating a lot of girls. It's more fun that way, don't you think?"

"I would appreciate it if you keep your ideas away from my girlfriend," an arm came around her waist and pulled her backwards. She fell against his chest and she recognized the arm around her as Kyouya. Her heart beat faster and she wondered if he could feel it. She wondered how much of their conversation he heard since she didn't hear him approach.

"Kyouya's your boyfriend?" He asked, shocked. She nodded while blushing while Kyouya kept all emotion from his face. He watched them from a distance but went to intervene when the man leaned closer to Erika. Kyouya recognized him vaguely but couldn't place where he knew him. But he gave the man a princely smile before guiding Erika away.

"Wait, my name's Nozomi Kamiya! I hope we get to meet again," He called after them. _And I hope you'll return to the person I remember, Kyouya._

"Thank you for the rescue," Erika placed a hand over her heart as they walked away. Then she realized that Kyouya was holding her other hand. He rarely held her hand even if it was for the sake of their act. A part of her didn't want to tell him to let go since she knew he would give her a sly remark.

"I can't leave you alone for a minute without you finding trouble. Why do I always have to come to your rescue?" He muttered and she hated to admit that he was right but he was. He helped her time after time yet she couldn't do a thing to lift his curse. She had to learn more about magic before she could help him. Erika hoped that the time she could say she helped him would come.

"You need to be careful of guys like that." He told her and she was surprised that he was giving her advice. She knew he would be pessimistic about the situation but she didn't think he would worry about her. "Guys like that will say the same thing to a girl and use them. If you take their lip service to heart, you'll be hurt by them."

"I'm pretty sure he was joking when he tried to flirt with me." Erika laughed. Nozomi's words echoed in Kyouya's mind and knew how easily they could trick a tender heart like Erika's. No matter how many times he thought Erika's needed to see the world for what it was, he found himself trying to protect her. What was she doing to him?

* * *

"Go Erika!" Takeru screamed from the bleachers why Kyouya tried to keep his distance from him so he wouldn't be associated with the screaming fool. His friend didn't notice and threw his arm around Kyouya. "She's going to win, I know it!"

"As long as she doesn't use too much of her magic, she should be alright." Kyouya didn't look away from Erika when he answered Takeru. The many challenges of the test took a toll on the wizard so the council scheduled it to be over a couple days. He could see her hand shake slightly and she turned to search for him in the crowd. Their eyes met and he knew that she was nervous so mouthed, _just cast the spell_.

Erika nodded to him slightly before turning back to the iron ball before her. The first challenge was to teleport the ball the furthest while keeping parallel from the caster. She stood in a line with other participant but refused to let the number of people present intimidate her. The announcer called her name and she stepped forward to cast the spell.

Casting a spell on a stubborn element was difficult and it required the caster to have a strong determination to perform the spell. Kyouya knew that no one can challenge Erika in that aspect since it linked to her enthusiasm which she had an abundance of. She breathed deeply before casting the spell. "_Idcirco praecipio tibi ut possrm movere, teleportavimas_!"

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see her spell fail and instead envisioned the iron ball further from her. Erika opened her eyes nervously. She cheered when she saw that the iron ball was twenty paces from her. It was a good distance and she hoped that it was enough to win the first competition. Only a few students could advance and she was determined to be one of them.

Kyouya watched the other wizards and noted that Erika was doing surprisingly well considering how skilled some of the others were. He doubted anyone would be able to impress the judges on the first competition since it was a straightforward spell. His brows furrowed when he saw the last participant step forward and recognize Nozomi.

He had a lopsided grin that Kyouya didn't trust and what he was capable of. Nozomi stood in the middle of the clearing without casting the spell and whispers began to circle. Takeru poked Kyouya and asked why Nozomi didn't cast his spell yet but Kyouya couldn't answer. He wondered what he was planning since he could sense Nozomi collecting magic.

"_Telepotavimas_!" A victories smile appeared on his face as he casted the spell. Every iron ball in the field disappeared and reappeared in a pile at the edge of the clearing. Erika's jaw dropped. Not only did he teleport so many iron balls a large distance from him but he did so with an abbreviation of the spell.

The crowd clapped and Nozomi basked in their cheers as he left the field. Kyouya frowned.

* * *

Kyouya found himself waiting for Erika at the entrance to the amphitheatre. The test was over for the day and thought back to the events. Erika did well but he knew that she would worry about her performance. He didn't know what he was going to say to her but wished that he did. Why did he care about her feelings so much?

As he waited, Kyouya saw Nozomi come out. He had several women around him and Kyouya rolled his eyes before looking away from them. He wanted to ignore them but they stopped in front of him and Kyouya forced a kind smile. He didn't know why but Nozomi's attitude was beginning to irritate him.

"It's great to see you again," Nozomi greeted. "We didn't get a chance to speak earlier. I'm sorry ladies, can I have a moment alone to speak with my friend. Just know that I'll miss you every second we're apart, my princess."

Kyouya wanted to throw up as he watched the interaction. While he didn't believe in relationships, he thought that they should have more confidence in themselves and pride in their relationship. He knew that Erika wouldn't silently watch him another woman. One of them stood out from the rest since she continued to look back at Kyouya.

He turned away from her and hoped she wouldn't initiate a conversation before Erika came out. What was taking her so long? He let out his frustration in a heavy sigh when they left. Nozomi placed a hand on his shoulder and gestured to the group leaving. "You noticed that girl staring at you. Why didn't you try talking to her?"

"I don't know her so I have nothing to say to her," There were few people in the hall now and Kyouya decided not to bother with his princely persona. "Erika should be out soon so tell me whatever you want to say now."

"You're surprisingly straightforward," Nozomi laughed to himself. "I want you to be happy and I think it's a shame that you're wasting your looks on just one girl. Think how much more love you will have if you open yourself up to other women. You taught me that the day I met you and I'm thankful. I've been with so many people since then and-"

"I don't remember telling you to date so many girls at once."

"Well you didn't tell me directly. I saw you smiling while talking to this one girl and I thought if one relation could make a prince happy, having a few can make me happier. But I didn't want to be tied down to all those rule relationships have so I made a no girlfriend policy. Are you happy with a girlfriend tying you down?"

"You know nothing about me so you shouldn't make assumptions about my happiness." Kyouya stated but it didn't seem to deter Nozomi.

"I just think it's a waste since someone like you could have a number of girls by now. You know, you can always fix your way of thinking and it's not too late to gain more happiness. I'll even introduce you to some girls and you'll see that I'm right."

"That's unnecessary." Kyouya wished that Erika would come and let him escape the situation.

"I just don't understand how Erika can give you as much love as multiple girls could." Nozomi tilted his head in confusion. "I'm not trying to insult her but you two are from different worlds. She looks like an ordinary girl so what attracts you to her? If she from a wealthy family? Maybe she has some dirt on you so you can't leave her."

Kyouya was ready to leave when Nozomi whispered. "Is it because she's really good in bed?"

"Enough!" Kyouya grabbed his collar and tilted a glare at him. It was so cold that he couldn't respond and he knew that anything he said would anger him more. He lifted his hand in apology but the cold glint never left Kyouya's eyes until a soft voice came behind him.

"I'm sorry it took so long, I just had some questions for the judges about the next event. Kyouya?" Erika rushed to apologize. He pushed Nozomi away before she could see him. Without saying a word, Kyouya turned and walked out the door. Confused, Erika followed him but not before turning to look at Nozomi and wondering what the two were discussing.

"Now that's interesting," Nozomi mused as he fixed his collar and watched the pair leave. Kyouya's behaviour when he indirectly insulted Erika was far from prince like. He laughed at how he lost his composure and knew that Kyouya was serious when it came to Erika. Even knowing that, he couldn't understand his thinking.

_He's really pitiful._ Nozomi thought to himself. _Maybe I should show you the truth_.

* * *

"Kyouya, please slow down!" Erika chased after him as he walked quickly back to his home. She didn't know what was bothering him and wished he would tell her. Seeing that he was lost in thought and wasn't going to slow his steps, she hugged his arm to stop him. "Is everything okay, Kyouya?"

Kyouya looked down at her but didn't answer her. He knew that she would think about the confrontation for the next week and become distracted. "It's nothing you have to worry about. You were in there a long time talking with Sanda."

She looked conflicted for a moment before smiling up at him. "Did you see Nozomi's spell? It was really good and I can't believe he hadn't been accepted into the advance program before now. But I'm not giving up. I still have a chance to be accepted if I aim for being number two!"

"Aim for number one," Kyouya corrected her and pinched her cheek. Though he frowned, she felt encouraged when he said. "You have the skill to beat him if you really tried. I'm not going to let my dog settle for anything less than what she's capable of. Are you a lazy dog?"

"I'm not a dog at all," Erika rubbed her cheeks when he let her go. She was glad that he wouldn't be able tell she was blushing. "But if I do beat him, will you give me something as a reward?"

"Whatever you want," he shrugged. Kyouya didn't think that she would ask for much as a reward since she was surprisingly simple. He wasn't in a real relationship with her but he couldn't help but feel angry when Nozomi said what he did about Erika.

"Erika, I want you to be careful around Nozomi." Kyouya knew that he already told her to do so earlier that morning but felt the need to repeat himself. When she looked up at him in confusion, he turned away from her since he couldn't explain himself without telling her about their conversation. "Just trust me."

"Okay," Erika nodded and Kyouya felt relieved. He was surprised when she yawned and leaned her head against his arm as they continued to walk. She used a lot of magic during the day's competition so he decided not to complain. "Thank you for coming to watch me."

"You welcome."

* * *

**Haven't posted in a while since I haven't had the time to write. Nozomi, my baby, I love you *w***


	9. Shaking Ideology

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

"You've got this one, Erika!" Takeru encouraged and she waved back to him. She had a large grin and Kyouya knew that she had every right to be confident. Even though Nozomi had been dominating the competition, he knew that Erika would win today's challenge. Illusions were her specialty after all.

Nozomi had created a dragon so Kyouya wondered what Erika would create to outdo him. She had yet to cast a spell before it began to snow and Kyouya pulled the scarf she gave him tighter around him. It was still winter but they hadn't predicted snowfall for the day. He just hoped that the snow wouldn't affect Erika's performance. She didn't seem bothered by it as she lifted her wand.

"_Purgare tempestate in corde meo_," She chanted a spell he never heard before. A light shot from her wand into the sky and the clouds parted to reveal a beautiful angel. It circled the amphitheatre, leaving a comforting heat behind. Spring started to appear around them and the falling snow became flower petals. The petals began to gather around her and she gave a dramatic bow, "_Finis_."

Her illusion faded and Kyouya found himself clapping. The snow had been part of her illusion all along and she was able to cast her spell so that any traces of magic were hidden. Her magic was beautiful and warm even if it was an illusion. While most focused on creating an object, she created an experience. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

He grinned down at her and she must've felt his stare for she looked up him. Erika gave him a cheeky smile and hoped that she had been able to impress him. He looked away from her and she thought she saw him blush slightly. She quickly shook herself since she knew that it couldn't be true because he wasn't the type to blush. But if her illusion made him smile, she was satisfied.

"She's more talented than I gave her credit for," Nozomi noted as he watched her from the sidelines. He hadn't interacted with Erika more than that first encounter so wondered what kind of person can steer Kyouya away from happiness so thoroughly. He watched her leave the field with a large grin and went to greet her as she stepped into the sidelines.

"That was beautiful Erika!" He cheered and noticed that she nervously looked around him. She gave him a respectful greeting but it was considerably stiffer than when they first met. Nozomi wondered if Kyouya told her anything. If he did, it would make becoming close to Kyouya much more difficult since he needed Erika's trust to not raise her suspicion.

"Thank you. The dragon you made was really life like and I didn't know if I could top it. I was thinking of only making an angel at first but when I saw that a lot of people were already creating similar things, I made a new routine on the spot." Erika scratched her cheek and laughed hesitantly. "Well I should get going and prepare for the next competition. Good luck."

"The next challenge is animal taming. That's Kyouya's specialty so he must've taught you some spells concerning animals. I'm kinda jealous since I would love to learn from Kyouya." Erika wondered how Nozomi knew about Kyouya. "I've looked up to him since I first saw him use magic during last year's exam. I tried talking to him but I think I messed it up. I was hoping we could be friends."

"Friends?" Erika knew that Kyouya wasn't close to many people. Even though he had many women around him, he always seemed distant and she thought he looked a little lonely sometimes. He was friends with Takeru but she wished that there were more people that understood him beyond his looks. Maybe then he would be so cold.

"Just because I like dating a lot of girls, it doesn't mean I see other guys as my enemies. I would like to be friends with him but I got completely rejected last night. He was so blunt about it but I don't think he's a bad person, just very private. But I'm glad he has you. It must take a very special person to get someone like Kyouya to open himself up to."

"I don't know if I'm anything special. Life's no fun if you spend it alone so I think it would be great if you and Kyouya become friends! He always keeps to himself and has a twisted way of expressing himself but he's very kind. Please don't give up on him yet. In fact, I'll even help you two become friends. I can tell you really understand Kyouya by how you describe him."

Nozomi was surprise at how easily he gained her support but he was glad for it. He didn't know if she was naïve or truly dull-witted and thought that it was a little cute how easily she trusted him. He cleared one hurdle so the only thing he needed to do was show Kyouya all the fun he was missing out on.

* * *

"I want you to find a friend!" Erika stated and Kyouya didn't know how to respond to her request. At first he considered laughing but she looked so serious, he knew he couldn't. "You promised me that you will give me a reward if I win and I won the last challenge. You can't go back on your word! I even invited someone to eat with us so you can practice your social skills."

"There's nothing wrong with my social skills." Kyouya frowned and bit into his sandwich. He thought that it was strange when she invited him to eat at Takeru's café when they would usually eat outside but he didn't expect her to bring up his promise from yesterday. She placed first in the illusion competition but she asked for the strangest request. Wouldn't most women ask for jewelry?

Kyouya scowl grew darker and she wondered if she was asking too much. He didn't give her a response and she wondered what he was thinking. Erika liked to think she knew him better than most and even though she was pushing him, it might be good for him. "How about a compromise? Just have one meeting with him. You did promise me that every competition I win, you'll give me a reward."

_I promise we'll be together forever_, a distance promise echoed in his mind and he tightened his hold on his cup until his knuckles turned white. It was human nature to lie and break promises but she looked so confident in her argument. Her large brown eyes never wavered as they pushed him for an answer. "You really are a demanding dog, aren't you? I'll have one conversation with whoever it is."

"Yeah!" Erika cheered in victory and he couldn't help but think that she was too easy to please. Her eyes met someone's behind him and Kyouya turned to see who it was. His hand twitched when he saw Nozomi walk towards them. "I know you two might've gotten off on the wrong foot but I want you to try to get along. I'm going to let you talk alone but don't try to leave early, Kyouya."

"She's really something." The two watched her go and Kyouya considered following her but knew that if he did, Erika would become more persistent. He waited until Erika was far enough away that she couldn't hear them before standing. "I might have to put up with her crazy plans but I'm not going to entertain yours. I don't know why you're so focused on me but you're wasting your time."

"Leaving already? I thought we could have a nice talk like you promised Erika. She and I had a wonderful one just the other day and she told me a lot about you. Sit and I'll tell you about what we talked about," Nozomi gestured to the table and Kyouya reluctantly sat down again. He only needed to get speak with him to fulfil his promise to Erika and planned to do nothing more.

"What do you think of those girls? They're cute, aren't they?" Nozomi whispered and pointed to a group of girls sitting next to them. Kyouya sighed and hated how Nozomi sounded like a broken record. He didn't wait for Kyouya's answer before speaking with one. He thought he could politely fade into the background while they spoke so looked out the window.

It was still winter so snow lined the ground as it did his heart. Watching them speak with such half hearted feelings irritated him. Why did people even put any amount of effort into something temporary? He might fake a smile to girls that approach him but made sure not to let it go beyond that. Believing half hearted feelings are real only caused one to be left in the snow alone.

"Kyouya," One of the girls caught his attention and he recognized her as the one that lingered the day he met Nozomi. She smiled nervously and held out her phone to him. "My friend and I are only here to watch the evaluation. Do you want to exchange information so we can keep in contact?"

"I left my phone at home." Kyouya said in a kind voice but she looked disappointed despite the gentle façade he showed her. She went on about how she felt incomplete without her phone and Kyouya wondered if she had a passion outside of her social life. She ended her enthusiastic speech by handing him a paper with her contact information.

"Aren't you lucky to have such a beautiful girl interested in you?" Nozomi asked when the girls left. "I'm sure you two will have fun if you went on a date. I was just thinking how I wanted to go out with her-"

"Then go ahead and date her." Kyouya pushed the paper across the table and stood to leave. "You can keep it too since I don't want to waste my time on people with half hearted feelings. If there's nothing else you wanted to talk to me about, I'll be leaving. I only promised one conversation with you and you wasted it speaking with those girls."

"Can you stop trying to act all mighty?" Nozomi followed him out of the café. Kyouya tried to walk faster but he easily fell in step beside him. "It's not a crime to enjoy love and take pleasure from people. It's natural for guys to follow their instinct and Erika will understand that."

"You must hate yourself," Kyouya laughed and Nozomi finally stopped walking beside Kyouya. "I'm nothing like you now. It's actually hilarious 'cause when I think about it, you're like Erika more than me. You both are persistent and can't seem to leave me alone. I'm not going to say you're wrong about your belief but don't force them on me. It's irritating."

Nozomi watched Kyouya walked away because he couldn't think of anything to say in response. He thought that if he gave Kyouya a hint of temptation, he would take it but he didn't. "I'm persistent like Erika? If she caught you by being like that, I just need to up my game."

* * *

"I'm telling you Erika, if you force me to speak to that man again, I'll throw him into a snake pit and you'll follow him!" Kyouya grumbled as she pulled him into the music room. She didn't explain why she wanted to take him there but he suspected that it was because of her crazed goal of giving him a friend.

"You won't," Erika said with confidence and pushed him into a chair. He had threatened her so many times and she knew that each one was empty and wished that he would be more honest with his feelings. She truly believed that he was becoming fond of Nozomi because Kyouya didn't avoid talking to him like he did with other students.

Kyouya only huffed when he saw that Nozomi was already in the room. What was he planning now? He thought it would be over with the conversation they had earlier.

"I told Nozomi about you teaching me magic and he said that he would like to join too. Since the next competition is animal taming, you're the best person to ask. I hope you don't mind that invited him without telling you but I knew you would agree." She leaned closer to him and whispered. "I wanted to keep our spot on the lake a secret so I told him to meet us here."

Any angry words he planned to throw at her stopped when he saw her wide smile and bright eyes. She was truly fooled by Nozomi's wish to be friends and Kyouya pitied her blind trust. But he couldn't change who she was so walked to the chalkboard and wrote the word 'trust' in olden script. "This is the root to animal taming. Some animals trust easier than others but you need to build that bond."

"I see," Erika wished that she could see Kyouya use magic but knew that she couldn't with Kyouya's curse still looming over him. She hoped the day she could see it would come. She only got a glimpse of it when he confronted Kimura but knew that it was powerful. Nozomi also told her that Kyouya's magic was so moving that he began to look up to him.

She began to daydream about seeing Kyouya's magic and what might come after the curse was lifted. Maybe he would let her stay with him as more than his dog. While she liked the thought, she knew that it was unlikely. Her gaze drifted to Kyouya and Nozomi and hoped that they would stay friends even if Kyouya didn't want her anymore. She didn't want him to be alone.

"I need to go and get something but I'll be right back," Erika stood. She wanted to give them time alone to bond and made an excuse to leave. She gave the two an encouraging smile before closing the door behind her. Her eyes met Kyouya's for a moment but he didn't say a word so she wondered what was on his mind.

"Maybe it's time I showed you my special talent," Nozomi took his wand out and touched it to the wall. Ink grew from it until the image of a siren appeared. A calming voice filled the room and the image of a siren faded into existent in front of Kyouya. "My own brand of summoning magic. I can summon any creature I want by painting their image."

The siren's song created a lull and Kyouya sat in the chair, neither retreating nor inviting. It was impossible for someone to resist a siren's call unless someone the person loved intervened. Nozomi hoped Kyouya would enjoy his time with the siren and realize that he was right. He watched the siren lean closer to him until her lips were almost touching his.

"I think that's enough, Nozomi." Kyouya covered the siren's mouth and pushed her away. "Send this creature back to wherever she came from. I already told you that I'm not going to play your game."

"Stop trying to act all cool when you're only lying to yourself," Nozomi was becoming as frustrated as Kyouya. Why was he starting to feel wrong when he was only trying to show him a better way of living?

To his shock, Kyouya began to laugh. "I was wrong when I said that you were like Erika. She's not a coward like you. Hiding behind lies and half hearted feelings, you tell yourself that you're content with this life. It's better that you don't look for a serious relationship with such weak feelings."

Nozomi slammed his fist on the blackboard and broke the spell he used to summon the siren. As the siren and her song faded, a hushed silence replaced it. He finally pulled out a calendar and placed it in front of Kyouya. "I have a date for every day of the week. If you calculate it, you can say that I receive seven times the love you do."

"You got your math wrong. Consider this: no matter how much rubbish you collect, it's nothing more than a pile of rubbish." Kyouya pointed out. He saw Nozomi's hands turn into fists and grinned. "Not able to stomach me or your own ideology? Don't make fun of me when your faith is already wavering. If you get what I say, stop meddling with my girlfriend."

Kyouya left but Nozomi didn't follow him. He opened the window and let the cool wind wash over him. He wasn't wrong, he continued to tell himself. From the corner of his eye, he saw one of his weekend girls and waved to her. She came over to him and held out a lunchbox to him. "There's something I need to tell you so I'm glad I caught you now."

* * *

"Nozomi?" Erika saw him enter the arena but there was a dark aura around him which worried her. He gave her a forced smile and she hoped that it wasn't something Kyouya said that put him in a dark mood. "How did it go yesterday? I'm sure Kyouya taught you something while I was gone."

"Yeah, he taught me some things." He answered her softly and she wondered if it was okay for him to participate in the day's competition. Even though they were mandatory to advance, she didn't want Nozomi to push himself. She wished she knew what they spoke about so she could defend Kyouya. Then again, knowing Kyouya, it might be hard for her to defend his attitude.

She didn't get a chance to speak with Nozomi further before the announcer called for them to step in front of the magic circle. Erika searched the crowd for Kyouya and found him sitting in the last row but she couldn't blame him. She told him that he didn't need to watch her but he said that he should be fine if he kept his distance from the arena.

"Good luck Nozomi," She called out to him before focusing on the magic circle before her. She wondered what kind of creature would appear and went over the possibilities in her mind. No matter what appeared, she remembered Kyouya lesson and thought of different ways to make a connection with it and gain its trust. While he taught her, she never practiced the spells on animals before.

She watched the other students before her carefully and tried to find patterns in their spells in hopes of learning the best spell to use. The judges' didn't show any reaction to their spells and she began to worry. Animal taming was Kyouya's specialty and she wanted to show him that she was as talented as him to gain his respect. "Don't psyche yourself out, Erika, you can do this!"

Erika slapped her cheeks to remind herself to focus. She was after Nozomi and she knew that he would do something grand so wanted to study the spell he would use. He was a talented wizard even if he was also a playboy. She looked around the bleachers and wondered how many of his dates came to watch him. She knew a good number had to since they cheered when his name was called.

"I can't wait to see what he does," Takeru was excited to see Nozomi's spell.

"Something's wrong." Kyouya was watching the arena carefully and something felt off about it. He could feel powerful magic linger in the magic circle yet the creatures summoned were never dangerous. His concern was only confirmed when he noticed a familiar magic raising him the ground. "Takeru, if anything goes wrong, I want you to run and get to safety."

"What do you mean?" Takeru asked, confused, but Kyouya already left his seat. Even without any magical ability, he felt the change in the air but thought that it was part of Nozomi's plan. Snow began to fall harder and covered the magic circle.

Kyouya made his way down the stand, acutely aware of the cursed book becoming warmer in his bag. Why was the witch's curse plaguing him now? She said that it would only cause him pain when he used magic so what was she planning? Nozomi was obviously distracted since he didn't seem to notice the change in the winter air as he activated the magic circle before him.

_This is the pain one feels when they lose their illusion_, a familiar voice echoed in the arena and Erika wondered if others heard it. Not bothering to question herself, she ran forward and tried to grab Nozomi's arm. The judges were confused and held her back. "Stop! Nozomi, don't summon it!"

Erika didn't know what would come out of the magic circle but saw the shadow of a wolf in the circle. Kyouya never told her about his curse but the voice had spoken to her once before and he told her to be weary of it. A foreign magic activated the circle and she was pushed back by a large wind. Fear settled in her stomach when others began to panic and she looked up to see the creature emerge from the ground.

Cerberus. Erika legs became numb at the sight of the dog demon since it was as large as a building. Everything inside her was telling her to run and help Nozomi but she couldn't force herself to move past the fear she felt. Why would the council summon such a dangerous creature?

"Erika!" She felt someone pull on her arm and turned to see Kyouya, breathing heavily. "What are you doing just sitting here like an idiot? Get away before they seal this place off."

"What about Nozomi?" Erika pointed to where he was standing, still in shock. "We need to go help him."

"I'll do it. Just get to safety," Kyouya screamed over the panic screams of the other students. He didn't know why his curse was also affecting others but knew that he had to stop Cerberus. Erika tried to argue again but he pushed her away from the danger.

Kyouya ran to Nozomi and wondered if he was frozen in fear of Cerberus or if something else was holding him in place. He looked at the magic circle again and saw the wolf watching them from a distance. He grabbed Nozomi's collar and shook him. "Whatever that bastard is promising you, ignore it! You need to defeat Cerberus! I can't use magic right now so it's up to you."

"That wolf," Nozomi was focused on the creature hidden in the snow. There was an ominous magic surrounding it which draft the power of Cerberus. For once, he wasn't confident in his abilities and could only stare at Cerberus. "I can't do it. You're the animal tamer so you-"

"I don't have time to explain but I can't use my magic right now. No matter what we disagree on, you need to forget that and focus on sending that creature back to where it came from. You're an expert on summoning so find a way to break that magic circle! We don't have much time before that thing wreaks havoc on the school."

Cerberus roared and Kyouya flinched in pain. He didn't know how much longer he could endure the pain of the curse. Even suppressing his magic, he could still hear the angry words of Cerberus. It loomed over the pair and breathed fire over the arena.

"_Venti potentiam creare vocat muro inexpugnabili, protego_!" A warm wind raged above them and created a barrier, reflecting Cerberus's attack. Erika stepped in front of him with her wand raised. She controlled the wind so that it created a barrier around the demon and trapped it. "_Laqueum_! I don't know how long I can hold it so please Nozomi! I believe in you and so does Kyouya because we're friends."

"I'll help you in any way I can," Kyouya studied the magic circle and tried to wipe away the snow with his hands. He needed to find a way before Erika hurt herself by using too much of her magic. Nozomi saw the panic on Kyouya's face and forced himself to forget the wolf's words and help them.

"There's a powerful spell stopping us from breaking the circle but I think we can rewrite it. If we make it so that it works in reverse, we can send Cerberus back to where it comes from." Nozomi already started lacing his magic into circle so he could force it to change to his will. He used his wand and changed the magic characters but they change back almost immediately.

Nozomi didn't know if he had the magic to change them all at once. If he could, they would be able to send back Cerberus to hell's gate. A shrill laughter grew louder than the wind Erika created and he looked up to see a wolf standing over the last character he needed to change. "_What use are you trying to protect? There was nothing there to begin with. I'll give you a real illusion._"

Nozomi didn't understand the wolf's offer but knew there was a dark intent in its soft whisper. He looked around at the panicked students. Erika's legs were shaking until they finally gave way and she collapsed on the snow. Kyouya ran to her side, not caring about the Cerberus that was free now. He lifted her into his arms and searched for a pulse. "Erika! I know you're alive so open your eyes."

"Behind you, Kyouya!" Nozomi warned when he saw the Cerberus raised its claws to attack the pair. He didn't understand why Kyouya didn't cast a spell and instead tried to protect Erika with his body. A bright glow surrounded them as the Cerberus claw reached them and time stood still long enough for Kyouya to roll away with Erika in his arms.

The glow around them never faded. Kyouya looked up from Erika and there was a fire, a determination, in his eyes. The need to protect. Nozomi turned to the wolf as he casted his spell. "I have something to protect, something true this time. I'm going to protect those fools in love and hopefully they'll call me their friends again."

Time continued to stand still around them and it allowed him to change the magic circle. Once he did, a powerful wind raged around them and pushed the Cerberus into the circle. Nozomi let himself relax when he saw the demon disappear into the ground. He didn't have the energy to stand so sat on the remnants of the magic circle.

"You did well," He was surprised to hear Kyouya's quiet whisper. At first Nozomi thought he was referring to Erika but then Kyouya placed a hand on his shoulder. He was carrying Erika, who was still unconscious, on his back. "You both did well. We need to go to the infirmary now."

* * *

**My BrOTP is Kyouya and Nozomi even if Takeru knows Kyouya longer, we don't get to see them interact as much since they're from different schools. I didn't get to expand it as much as I wanted but didn't want to have it run into the next chapter.**


	10. Cold Illusions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

Kyouya sat next to Erika's hospital bed, quietly watching her sleep. She had used almost all of her magic protecting him and it was a miracle that she held Cerberus at bay for so long. How could such a small woman hold so much magic in her body?

"Kyouya?" She mumbled and he wondered how she knew that it was him. He didn't answer her but pushed her bangs away from her eyes. It was best for her to rest and regain her magic. He checked his watch and saw that it was almost time for him to leave. After he shrugged on his jacket, he touched her forehead to find it cool to his touch.

"At least she doesn't have a fever," Kyouya moved to walk away. At first he thought of leaving but something stopped him and he went to the bed next to Erika's. He pulled back the curtain to find Nozomi and Takeru staring at him. "How long have you been listening to us? Seriously, you two are troublesome. You two better not tell Erika about any of this."

"Why wouldn't you want Erika to know that you spent an entire afternoon watching her sleep?" Nozomi asked and the pair started to laugh when Kyouya blushed. He had to wonder when the two became friends since they seemed close. "Takeru came looking for you and we started to talk. When we heard you come in, we decided to watch what you would do."

"I hope I've entertained you a little." Kyouya said sarcastically but Takeru was oblivious to it as he grinned and nodded. He scowled and hit the pair over the head, wanting to hide the awkwardness he felt. "I don't care what you two but let her rest. And you should be resting too Nozomi, you used a lot of magic too. I'm not going to have you complaining when you wear yourself out."

"Wait, Kyouya, I want to apologize to you for trying to break you and Erika up. I guess the stupid one was me all along." Nozomi laughed at himself. "No matter what I said or who I threw at you, you stayed faithful to her. I wonder what kind of love you two have to make you try to protect each other like that. I want to know what it feels like to be so hopeless in love."

"You got the hopeless part already so you're halfway there." Kyouya said with a straight face. "What made you change your mind about love? I thought you'll continue to throw girls at me."

"My Sunday girl found a boyfriend and left me." Nozomi thought back to her smile as she handed him the lunchbox the previous day. "She left me and I felt nothing. I wasn't happy or sad and I realize that I've never felt anything whenever one of them left. I just found another girl. There was nothing there to begin with, that's why I never felt anything. The wolf told me that."

"The wolf spoke to you?" Kyouya didn't want to tell Nozomi about his curse but knew that he would have to if the wolf was becoming a danger to others around him. He turned to Erika behind him and wondered if the wolf had spoken to her since he warned her to stay away from the forest.

"You must think I'm crazy for telling you this but it was the wolf that helped me realize I never loved a single one of those girls and they didn't love me. I didn't understand until I saw you try to protect Erika from the Cerberus. I saw how you looked when it tried to attack her. Just the thought of losing her made you scared but I couldn't feel anything when they left me."

"You mean I missed seeing Kyouya protect Erika with some cool spell?" Takeru remembered how Kyouya ran into the arena and thought that he had begun to care for Erika. "That's the power of love for you. I'm sure that one day you'll be in love with someone too, Nozomi, and I'll be rooting for you."

"I don't know if that day will come." Nozomi lay back on his hospital bed. "Even though I've been with so many girls, I never found that one that made me felt happy or sad or whatever love feels like. I'm kind of pathetic if you think about it. I'm scared that I'll go on feeling nothing and never meet 'the one'."

"I guess it is pathetic that you're scared." Kyouya nodded and Nozomi honestly thought that he would get some encouragement so he was disappointed. Kyouya debated what he should say to Nozomi since he looked so depressed. Telling him that love was only an illusion wouldn't help. "You shouldn't be sad since I was just like you a long time ago but now I have her."

"I'll do it! I'll become a great wizard like you and find a girl that I cherish. I'm sure the only problem is that I haven't met her yet and I'm super excited to find her now!" It shocked him how fast he could change his attitude but thought that it was better than Nozomi being depressed. "When I get myself a serious girlfriend, let's have a double date."

"That would be nice," They all turn to see Erika sitting up with a content smile on her face. He wondered how much of their conversation she heard since she had such a wide smile. She blushed and quickly apologize, "I'm sorry for eavesdropping but I was really curious about what you guys were talking about. I really love you too, Kyouya."

Kyouya felt his heart jump at her innocent smile and the feeling irritated him since he never felt it before. Trying to hide his embarrassment, he went to her side and whispered. "If you force me on a double date, I'll make you regret it. Don't say such embarrassing things so easily."

Erika leaned backwards to avoid his gaze and muttered an apology. She was happy when she heard him say that he changed since he met her since it gave her hope but knew that he most likely said for the sake of their act. She felt his hand on her head and looked up to see him stare down at her. There was something in her eyes that she couldn't read. "Thank you for saving me from the Cerberus."

"That was a powerful spell you used to repel the Cerberus." Nozomi remembered the bright light he saw surround Erika and Kyouya. "I've never heard you cast a spell but I'm sure that I've never seen a shield spell that focuses on light. Only a person as great as you could create such a spell, Kyouya."

"You used magic?" Erika's eyes widened and she took his face into her hands. She peered at him closely to see if he was pale. She wasn't a healer but she tried to find any sign of fatigue in his face. Embarrassed and nervous, he pushed her away roughly. "You can really make yourself sick because of your curse. Why would you do something like that just to protect me?"

"Idiot!" Kyouya covered her mouth but knew that it was too late. She realized she mentioned his curse in front of Nozomi as well and stumbled over an apology. He ran his hand through his hair and considered what to do next. "I didn't use a spell. It was this that protected you."

Kyouya gently touched the necklace around her neck. She never took it off the necklace since he gave it to her and he was glad for it since it saved their lives. He found himself staring at the necklace and thinking, _at least you didn't lie to me about this one thing._

"But is Kyouya really cursed," Nozomi asked in a hushed voice and Erika knew that it was impossible to lie. Kyouya read her thoughts as well and thought it was best to tell him since he heard the wolf's voice. While he didn't know everything about his curse, he owed him an explanation. Making sure no one could over hear them, he told Nozomi about his curse.

"Erika and I are only pretending to be a couple so she could stay in school and help me." Kyouya ended and Erika felt a little disappointed that he summarized their relationship so blatantly. Nozomi was confused as well since there was nothing fake about the expression he saw the previous day. "I don't think I have to tell you to keep this a secret."

"Of course I will," Nozomi nodded.

"Erika!" The door slammed open when she was about to thank Nozomi. The force of it made Erika jump into Kyouya's arms and he instinctively placed his arm around her. He was shocked to see her parents standing in the doorway. Her mother ran to her before he could step away and she threw her arms around Erika. "We heard what happened. Are you hurt?"

"We're going to move you to a private hospital immediately," Erika's father cut in. "I told you that this magic business is no good. Once our family's doctors tell me that you're healthy, I'll take you back home where we can take care of you. This would've never happened if you married a suitable man like I wanted you to. I already have a list-"

"Father, no!" Erika protested quickly. "I'm okay, so please don't tell me that I have to leave this school. I'm not going to marry some man you choose for me. I love Kyouya and I want to learn more about magic! I don't care what you say so you can't force me."

"No one's going to take you away from this school," her mother stood by Erika's side. Kyouya didn't know what to say as he watched the family argue since he knew anything he said would only make the situation worst. He didn't know why her father was so insistent on Erika finding a husband but the idea irritated him more than he thought it did.

"I beg your pardon but I think that Erika should rest." Kyouya faked a friendly smile and stepped between Erika and her father. "Arguing won't help her heal. I don't want to tell you how to run your family but, from what Erika told me, she's much happier being a wizard than being a housewife. She's very talented and if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have been able to seal Cerberus."

Erika's heart leapt at his words. It was so rare of him to acknowledge her abilities and hearing those words made her feel happy. Feeling more confident, she turned to her father and was able to speak more calmly. "I love magic and Kyouya so I'm not going to leave either for a man I don't know. Kyouya needs me right now and I can't leave him."

She reached out and clutched Kyouya's hand as she waited for her father's answer. Even if those words were only a lie when she entered the school, she truly loved Kyouya and wanted to be with him. She was surprised when she felt him tighten his hand around her even though he didn't say anything further. At the moment she thought his hand was all she needed to pull herself forward.

"I need to talk to the doctors about moving you to a private ward." Her father didn't address the issue further and walked out of the room. Even though it was little, it was more than Erika expected and smiled to herself. Even though he could be controlling at times, she knew that he loved her and wanted to keep her safe.

"I feel like this is my fault." Her mother sat on the bed and sighed. "I was hoping that he'll approve your learning magic if he sees you participate in the competition. Today was the last day for the competition and I convinced him to watch it. When we got here, we heard about the incident and rushed over to the hospital. I'm sure your father's just in shock but I have wonderful news for you."

Her mother smiled secretively and Erika wondered what she wanted to say. "The council was so impressed by you and that Nozomi boy that they're letting you both into the advance program. Your father can't say that you're not a great wizard now since you help contain that Cerberus. I'm so proud of you for following your dream and finding someone you love."

"I guess it was fate," Erika smiled shyly and looked at Kyouya. She might've casted her spell wrong but it brought her and Kyouya together. She wondered if the paper had shown the image of another student, if she would be able to attend the school. Her life was different because of him and she wondered if he felt the same way. "But it was really magic that brought us together."

Kyouya tried not to scoff since it would give away their act. Erika's eyes glowed as she spoke to her mother and he could easily see the love in them. It was almost laughable how he was the only one that could see the truth. Feeling like an outsider, he turned away. "C'mon Takeru, we should leave and let these two rest."

"Are you going already, Kyouya?" Erika tried to sit up but fell against the pillow again. His brows furrowed for a moment but she didn't know what it meant. She didn't want him to leave since she felt more relaxed around him. "I was hoping that we might eat a cake together to celebrate being in the same class now. It could be a coffee cake since you don't like sweet things."

"I don't think you should be eating cake right now," Kyouya sighed. He placed a gentle hand on hers so she wouldn't look away from him. "You need to focus on your health for once. The doctors said that your body was in pretty rough shape and you might have to stay for a week. It'll only be longer if you put unhealthy food into your body."

"A week?" Erika took the calendar next to her and started to count the days. Her face became pale and she looked at Kyouya, dejected. "I'm going to be stuck in this hospital for Christmas?"

He didn't understand why she was so sad over a pointless holiday but seeing her sad moved something in him. He found himself wanting to see her smile since it was so rare he saw her sad. "I'm sure Sanda will understand why you have to give her a present late."

"It's not just the presents. I really wanted to spend time with you." Erika admitted. Her wish was so innocent and he wondered how she could be so sincere. "At least I'll get out the day after so I won't be missing it by too much. But I want you to get your present on time! I hid it under my bed so you can ask Sanda to get it for you. It's a shame I won't get to see you open it."

"Do you know if they let people visit on holidays?" Kyouya asked, shocking Erika. She didn't think he would go out of his way to visit her on a holiday. Then she remembered that he was most likely saying so for her mother's sake. "My father is busy so I'll be home alone anyways. I should leave now since visiting hour is almost done."

Kyouya smiled but his eyes were cold. She wished that she could take some of that pain away but she knew he wouldn't speak to her about his family. She knew that he wouldn't open himself to her easily so hoped that her present would allow him to do so. He looked lonely as he left and she hoped he wouldn't spend Christmas alone.

* * *

Erika looked out the window, hoping to see Kyouya but she could only be disappointed. She hated being forced to stay in a room over the holiday but she took comfort that she wasn't alone. Picking up the calendar, she marked off another day. Christmas Eve.

Her parents and friends came to visit her for the day but Kyouya hadn't so much as called. She wondered if he would even stay true to his words and see her on Christmas. Erika didn't have much faith that he would in the beginning but was still disappointed. The snow began to fall harder, "I hope Kyouya's warm at home. He says that he'll be alone…"

It was almost midnight but she found herself unable to sleep. Erika felt well enough but the doctors insisted that she stay for another night. She was glad that she was able to convince her parents to let her stay in the hospital near the school by saying him that she felt more comfortable being near her friends. But Nozomi was sleeping now and she was left with her thoughts.

Despite her weak legs, she pushed herself away from the bed and walked to the window. Erika wanted to see the people arriving better though she knew that not many people came to the hospital during the night except the nurses and doctors. Sitting on a chair, she looked up at the stars and remembered the romance novel her mother gave her when she was young.

Erika touched the heart charm and smiled to herself. Even if Kyouya didn't give her anything for Christmas, she was content with the necklace. It protected her from the Cerberus and she wondered who gave it to him since the spell cast on it was too advanced for Kyouya. If he had something so powerful, how could anyone curse him?

"I wish you would tell me more." Erika pulled her legs closer to her chest and whispered her request even though she knew Kyouya wouldn't be able to hear her. She kept her lineage from him but she didn't want secrets between them. Looking at the snow, she was reminded of the ice she saw reflected in Kyouya's crimson eyes. "I wish I knew more about you."

"_What you want from him is an illusion."_ Erika's came back from the edge of sleep and looked up sharply at voice. She recognized it even though she only heard it a few times before. She scanned the ground and her eyes met with the amber eyes of a wolf. She clenched her teethes since her gut told her that it had a connection with Kyouya's curse.

"If Kyouya won't tell me, I'll find the answer myself." Erika stole a blanket and a pair of shoes before running out of the hospital. She was glad that she didn't run into a nurse on her way out. The wolf seemed to be waiting for her when she ran out into the cold. It ran from her though, "Mr. Wolf! Please wait. I know you have something to do with Kyouya's curse!"

She called after the animal as she chased it. She wasn't athletic and the distance between them was growing quickly. Erika didn't know if she had the energy to cast a spell but she pulled out her wand and lifted her hand in warning. "Stop, I just want to know how to lift his curse! But I swear if you do have something to do with Kyouya's curse, I won't forgive you."

It ran faster and her suspicion was confirmed. The wolf wouldn't run if it wasn't afraid of her threat. But she couldn't ask it any further question since she was quickly growing out of breath. Erika stopped to regain her breath and, surprisingly, the wolf came back. It nudged at her hand and she sat in the sand so she could look into its eyes.

"Who are you?" Erika asked despite not being able to understand its answering howl.

* * *

Kyouya woke with a start and found himself covered in sweat. He swore at the world and forced himself to stand, to do anything but sleep. He didn't know why but he dreamt about his family more often and it always ended with him alone in the snow. He still felt cold even as he ran his hand under warm water. "Damn, I'm pathetic."

He vaguely remembered hearing a howl in his dream and wondered about what woke him. Kyouya rubbed his temple when a dull ache began to form. Trying to take his mind off his memories, he took a book to read. He looked out the window and thought he saw two children in the snow.

"Are those kids stupid playing in this storm?" Kyouya scowled. In the past, he would've let them be and let their parents deal with them but he found himself shrugging on his coat. They were strangers but he found himself caring about their safety. He walked out into the snow and called out to them. "Hey, get back to your house before it gets colder."

"_So scary_," A small cry caught his attention and he saw that one of the children was being chased by a boar. The boy was trying to calm her but she didn't seem to notice him as she ran like a chicken without its head. Kyouya was worried about the boar until he realized that it was slightly transparent. The girl thought it was real and continued to cry.

"_Help_!" She fell into the snow and Kyouya started to walk towards her until he saw the boy reach her first. He hugged her but his movements were awkward and she continued to cry so he wondered if the pair knew each other. "_These scary creatures from Momma's story book keep appearing and chasing me. Why are they chasing me?"_

"_They're not real, they're just illusions. Don't tell me you don't know that you're magic_." The boy's jaw dropped and so did Kyouya's. She continued to whisper that magic was scary and Kyouya found himself pitying the girl but stopped himself from approaching them. "_Magic isn't scary. It's whatever you want it to be. Look, I can use magic to make you smile."_

The boy drew a magic circle and summoned a puppy from the ground. It was weak and small but it made the girl smile as it snuggled against her leg. Slowly, the illusion of the boar faded as her smiled grew wider. "_I'll teach you magic so you can make others smile too. How about we meet here again next Friday? I need to go home soon since my parents have something important to tell me_."

The girl nodded with a small smile. Watching them, Kyouya felt as if there was something familiar about the pair. He couldn't see them clearly because of the snow. Remembering what made him leave his home, he went to usher them home before they caught a cold.

Before he could call out to them again, the boy started to run towards him. Kyouya didn't understand why but a cold shiver rushed through him when the boy's body passed through his. He turned sharply to see that the boy was running towards a wolf. The boy hugged the wolf and Kyouya scoffed. "It's been a long time since I've been fooled by your illusion."

"_This isn't an illusion_," it spoke to him. "_At least not one created by me_."

Kyouya finally noticed that the wolf was crying a body over its back. When it moved, he heard a soft bell and the snow began to slow. He could see the person clearly now. "Erika! What did you do to her? She has nothing to do with this so leave her alone."

"_Cold heart, covered in ice_." It repeated instead of answering him. "_You will know nothing but the storm, until you can see a sweet illusion for what it truly is_."

* * *

Kyouya winced as he woke. He found himself in his bed and groaned as he looked at the clock and find that it was only six in the morning. He didn't know if the wolf had been a dream or an illusion created by the wolf. The witch's action had been less predictable and he was beginning to worry about what its intention was.

"I'll get rid of this curse and never think of shit like love ever again," Kyouya renewed the vow he made when he was first cursed. His thoughts drifted to Erika and looked at the calendar then to the present she gave him. Sanda gave it to him but he hadn't opened it yet. He told her that Christmas was silly but she went through the trouble of finding him a present.

It was still early in the morning and he wondered how many kids were already up, eager to open their presents. Kyouya could easily imagine a young Erika being one of those kids. He promised to visit her on Christmas but it was still early. He avoided visiting her since he didn't feel comfortable watching Erika and her mother interact, especially during the holiday.

"But I did promise to visit her and I have nothing better to do," He said to himself when he looked at her present again. Kyouya wondered if he could avoid her parents if he visited her early in the morning. With that thought, he put on his jacket and headed to the hospital.

* * *

**I love Christmas and think that winter has a lot of romance in it even though there's a lot of coldness too (the perfect season to compare to Kyouya). Now that I think about it, I realized that a lot of my fanfics takes place in winter.**


	11. Sweet Lime

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

"Why did you curse Kyouya?" Erika asked the wolf. It sat in front of her and the world around them slowly faded away. It didn't say a word but Erika knew that it could understand her and held the answers. "What did Kyouya do to you? He doesn't deserve to be tortured like this!"

"_You will understand soon. Kyouya hasn't changed and he never will. This is the only way I can convince him to return to us. The curse will be lifted when he sees the truth behind the illusion I offered him. He believed in illusions once but his heart is covered in ice now. You can't lift his curse because he needs to be the one that break this curse_."

"I'll apologize for whatever he did!" Erika remembered sitting next to his bed after his curse made him sick. She wasn't close to him then but thinking about how weak he was made her heart feel heavy. The events around him were becoming more dangerous and he needed his magic to protect himself. "I can't stand seeing him in pain."

"_Do you think he feels the same towards you? He can't feel anything and hasn't since he was young. You know nothing about him yet you think you can change him and lift his curse. If you know what is good for you, you'll leave him before he breaks your heart_." The wolf stood and started to leave with that last warning. Erika's hand tightened in the snow and screamed after it.

"I love Kyouya and I'm not giving up on him!" She didn't know how the statement could stand as an argument but Erika didn't want the wolf to have the final word. Despite Kyouya's cold attitude, she couldn't bring herself to leave him. She knew Kyouya used to play around with women but she didn't think he would hurt someone so much they would curse him.

A strong gust of wind pushed her away from the wolf and she closed her eyes. The air around her became warmer and she opened her eyes to find herself in her hospital bed, sweating despite the cold she felt. It was only a dream… but it felt too real.

She griped her locket for strength and tried to calm her racing heartbeat. She wasn't scared when speaking to the wolf but now that she was awake and able to think more clearly, she thought of how powerful the wolf could be if it invaded her dream. But she promised to break Kyouya's curse and she didn't want it to become a lie since she cared for him.

"Erika?" She was surprised by Kyouya's voice and thought that it was an illusion for a moment. She realized that Kyouya had standing in the doorway, watching her for a moment. She wanted to close the distance between them and ask for comfort as well as the other questions she had about his curse. He seemed to read her mind for he walked to her bedside. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Erika smiled so he wouldn't worry. She knew that he would only laugh if she told him that she was scared. What if the wolf was only a part of her dream and she was worrying over nothing? "I just had a strange dream."

Erika looked at the clock and realized how early it was. "What are you doing here?"

"You were the one that insisted that I come visit you for Christmas, why are you acting so surprised?" Kyouya set the boxes he was carrying on her lap. She recognized one as her present for him and Erika smiled at the fact that he decided to spend Christmas with her. "One of the nurses said I can visit you early since it's the holiday."

"I thought you would say something like 'I just have nothing to do so I visited you'." Erika pointed out and he had to admit that it was something he would say. He sat on a chair next to her bed and she had to admit that she hadn't envisioned their first Christmas together to be in a hospital. But being with him was enough to make her happy and she passed her present to Kyouya. "Open it!"

"Open yours first," Kyouya pointed to the second box he placed on her lap. Her jaws dropped and she studied the box carefully. It was plainly wrapped but the tag clearly said her name. Erika didn't think he would buy her a present and she wondered what he bought her. With careful hands, she took her time opening the present.

"Just open it," Kyouya didn't know why he was nervous watching her open her present. He bought it on a whim when he saw it a shop window he passed when he walked to the hospital. She didn't seem to hear him as she smiled to herself. "It's really nothing special."

"Don't say that. You went to the trouble of getting this for me and I want to cherish this moment." Erika insisted. She grinned with triumph as she unwrapped the present without creating a single tear. She opened the box and was shocked to find that it was a Christmas cake with a dog charm as a decoration. Kyouya wondered what she was thinking as she took little dog charm into her hands.

"I told you it wasn't much. I just remembered you saying that you wanted to eat cake to celebrate getting into the advance class. You're due to be released tomorrow so it should be okay for you to eat it now. But if you don't want the charm, give it back." Kyouya went to take back the box but she pulled it out of his reach quickly.

"I'm just so happy that you got me a present that I didn't know how to react. I need to take a picture of this! Can you pass me my purse? It's on the chair," Erika pointed to where her mother left her purse. Kyouya sighed and went to get her purse. When he turned back, he saw her smiling to herself as she studied the charm and didn't know why seeing it made him feel happy.

Erika didn't see him smile since it was brief. She was happy that he remembered that she wanted to eat a cake to celebrate. The charm was small but the dog's large eyes made her laugh since it was a present only Kyouya would buy her. She placed the charm on her phone before taking a picture of the cake. Kyouya leaned back in his chair as he watched her, "Girls really like to take pictures of pointless things."

"It's not pointless, it's for the memories." Erika corrected him and Kyouya chuckled at her answer. Only she could say something so cliché with such honesty. He wasn't trying to mock her but she puffed her cheeks in frustration. "I don't want to forget a single moment with you. It's so rare that you do something nice like this. Now open my present."

Erika felt nervous as she watched Kyouya rip off the wrapping paper. She wanted to see him happy and hoped her present would make her as happy as she was when she received his. Holding her breath, she watched him carefully as he opened the box.

Kyouya jumped back and threw the box onto Erika's lap when he saw two large eyes stare back at him. He tried to step away from it but Erika stopped him by holding onto his sleeve. The box moved slightly and her present rolled out of it. A dog. It was a corgi with light brown fur and it brought back memories of the dog he once owned.

It took him a moment to realize that he didn't feel any pain in reaction to the creature. Kyouya stared at the dog in confusion as it rolled onto its back on Erika's back. She giggled as she scratched the dog, "She's only an illusion so you don't need to worry about your curse. I know you love dogs and I wanted for you to have one again. Try petting her!"

Kyouya cautiously put out his hand towards the dog and it pressed its face into his hand. Feeling strange, he sat on the bed and the small dog climbed onto his lap. Erika smiled at the sight but Kyouya's face was blank. "I modeled her after this photo I found in your house. So do you like her? What are you going to name her? We'll have to buy a collar for her since she's still a dog even if she's an illusion."

Kyouya was silent and Erika wondered if she made the right choice giving him a dog for Christmas. He said that he didn't want to get a dog after his curse is lifted and risk becoming attached it. With a shaky smile, Erika tried to hide her fear. She took out a keychain from the box. "It's okay if you don't like it. All you need to do is destroy this and the illusion will be broken."

Kyouya took the keychain she held out to him but didn't know what to do with it. It was obvious that she wanted to make him happy and destroying the illusion in front of her would only make her upset. He placed the charm in his pocket and she smiled with relief. She cut the cake and handed a slice to Kyouya. "Let's share this cake! Christmas is a time for giving, after all."

"I don't think that settlement was for you to give back my gift." Kyouya took the cake from her. She had a content smile as she laughed off her statement and ate the cake. He thought an awkward silence would fall between them but she started to tell him about her memories of her Christmas. It seemed that he was the only one feeling awkward because he couldn't recall any happy memories of his family.

"My father may be strict but he always makes time in his busy schedule to come home for the holiday." Kyouya couldn't remember the last time he saw either his father or mother and it had been longer since he felt lonely over the fact. His dog whined and Kyouya instinctively pet it to calm it. "My father doesn't like animals but I think even he would think she's cute."

"My sister named my dog Lime because it got this sour look whenever she tried to get close to it." Kyouya laughed at the memory and Erika was shocked that he spoke so nonchalantly about the memory. It was the first time he spoke about his family without sounding distant or lonely. "I was so upset that she named my dog before I could but the name just stuck."

"I didn't know you had a sister." Erika wondered how much more she would find out about him with time and if it would ever be enough. She wanted to meet his sister one day and see what kind of family he grew up with. She hoped that they weren't as distant as he was remembering them. "At least you'll get to name your dog now. But I think Lime's a cute name."

The dog yelped gleefully and wagged its tall at the name 'Lime'. Kyouya sighed. "Looks like she already got attached to the name. I guess it's better than wasting time trying to find a perfect name for Lime."

"Do you like that name, Lime?" Lime totted from Kyouya's lap to Erika's. He didn't know what part of their conversation made Lime enamored with the name or how an illusion could have a conscious. She played with Lime's paws and Kyouya started to laugh to himself.

"Look at my two dogs playing together," He meant to tease her with the comment. Erika didn't know if she should snap at him for calling her a dog again or if she should be happy that he was accepting her present with a smile. A small part of her was hoping that he would stop seeing her as a dog once she gave him one of his own.

"I'm not your dog. Can't you see me as a woman for once?" Erika asked. She lifted Lime and started to talk to her as if she could understand the human language. For the first time, Kyouya couldn't communicate with an animal and realized how much he missed that simple connection magic gave him. "Isn't Kyouya being mean, Lime?"

Lime barked in reply and Erika grinned. "See, she agrees with me."

Kyouya set his plate aside and stood. "The nurse said that she'll only let me see you for a bit so I should go before she comes back and yell at us. I'm certain she wouldn't be happy to find that I gave you cake and that there's a dog here."

"I guess you're right," Erika said even though she wanted to spend more time with him. He helped her clean the plates and wrapping paper even though he didn't say much more as he left. She lay back in the hospital bed and held the charm he gave her to her chest. "Thank you for coming Kyouya! I can't wait 'til I get to see you again tomorrow."

"Get some rest," Kyouya told her as he closed the door behind him. He only took a couple steps before he felt something tug at his and he looked down at Lime. She whimpered and pressed herself against his feet. He didn't need his magic to know that she wanted his attention so lifted her into his arms. Its large brown eyes innocently stared up at him and Kyouya sighed. "Did Erika put her personality in you?"

Lime licked his cheek but he couldn't bring himself to be angry. "What am I going to do with you?"

* * *

"Really, I'm fine mom. The doctors said, there weren't any complications and I'm completely healthy. I'll remember to write you. I love you too," Erika tried to assure her mother over the phone as she exited the hospital. They visited her for the holiday but couldn't stay to see her off.

She continued to speak with her mother as she walked down the hall. Erika was planning to give Sanda and the others their present so asked them to meet her at Takeru's café. She tried to call Kyouya earlier but he didn't answer her call. She wondered if he and Lime were getting along even if it had only been a day since she last saw them.

"Fetch, Lime!" Erika looked up just as a ball rolled to her feet. She looked in the direction of the voice to see Kyouya. He didn't notice her since his focus was on Lime who brought him back a branch instead of the ball. She was shocked to see him smile as he petted Lime, "Good girl. You're such a smart dog. Hey stop licking me."

"Kyouya?" Erika picked up the ball and he looked up at her.

He blushed slightly when their eyes met since he could see how surprised she was to see him. Kyouya hated to admit that he knew he usually wasn't one to be so attentive to someone but he couldn't help himself when it came to Lime. Erika didn't comment and knelt next to him, "She looks really happy. I'm glad that you two are getting along."

"Lime is a talented dog, watch. Give me your paw, Lime. Now your other paw. Down and roll," Erika was shocked that Lime followed Kyouya's instruction and he taught her in a short amount of time. She made her illusion such that lime would have its own conscious. "My Lime's a genius, isn't she? You'll need to work harder since she's smarter than even you."

"Let's not get too carried away," Erika told him and Kyouya laughed. It was different than his usual laughter and she couldn't help but feel jealous when she heard it. Why didn't he smile like that when he was with her? "I'm on my way to Takeru's café to hand out gifts. Do you want to come with me to see everyone again?"

"Not now, it's Lime's playtime. I'll catch up with you later," Kyouya held up his hand and motioned for her to go without him. She decided to sit on the bench and wait for him, thinking that it shouldn't be too long. She sat on a bench and watched the pair play in the snow. Kyouya could read her intention and pushed Lime towards her. "We can play together if you want."

"We can?" Erika beamed and ran to their side. She didn't think Kyouya would want her to invade their space but she was glad that they could spend some time together. Without a care for the cold, she sat on the ground and started to create a snowman. Curious, Lime knocked it down and they laughed. She created an illusion of a butterfly for Lime to play with.

Erika looked up when she saw a flash. She realized that Kyouya took a picture of her with his phone and she blushed. Feeling shy, she tried to take the phone from him. "Don't take a picture without asking. If I knew, I would've fixed my hair."

"You look fine," Kyouya pushed her hand away. "Anyways, I was taking a picture of Lime."

He handed her the phone and showed her the photo he took. It was of her and Lime and she was surprised at how well the photo turned out. She knew that she wasn't a traditional beauty but she liked the picture. Curious, she looked at his other photos and found a surprising large number of them were of Lime. "I thought you said taking pictures was silly."

"Isn't it normal to take pictures of things you like?" Kyouya rebutted and she frowned. Why was it easier for him to connect to an animal than it was for him to another human?

* * *

"Kyouya, are you home?" Erika opened the door and entered his home before he answered her. She came and went from his home so often that asking for entry was a pretense. Her family had raised her to be polite and courteous but she was glad that she could act so familiar with Kyouya. She didn't hear him answer and started to become worried.

To her relief, she found him quickly enough. He was asleep on the couch with Lime sleeping next to him. Being as quiet as she could, she turned off the television and placed a blanket over his shoulders. It was the weekend and she wanted to over the noted Sanda gave her so she could catch up with the lessons but it seemed like he would be spending his time with Lime instead of her again.

"You're a very lucky dog, aren't you?" Erika sighed and placed her bag on the table. She bought lunch from Takeru's café so they could eat together but she didn't want to wake Kyouya since he looked cute and relaxed as he slept. With a sigh, she placed the take out on his table. She never thought that she would be jealous of a dog let alone an illusion of one.

"You can be a real jerk sometimes, Kyouya. I've tried so hard to pry open your heart for so long and it only takes Lime one night." Erika leaned closer to Kyouya and scowled at him since she knew she wouldn't be able to if he was awake. She wondered if the woman that cursed him felt the same way as she was feeling now, alone and hopeless.

"Why is it so cold in here?" Erika rubbed her arms when a cold breeze drifted into the room. She went to close the window and wondered if Kyouya left it opened since it was unlike him to do something so neglectful. She closed it but she could feel the cold linger in the air. "You're going to make yourself sick if you forget to close the window in winter."

"I didn't leave the window open," Kyouya appeared beside her and she didn't know when he woke up. He looked at the distance and she wondered about the worry she saw in his eyes. She couldn't see anything or sense magic. Kyouya flinch at the sound of claws scratching at his home and he knew Erika couldn't hear it. She most likely saw the quiet day that was reality.

He saw his reflection in the glass. His breath caused a dog on the window and it faded away so he could see the dog he had as a child scratching at the glass. Kyouya knew that Lime was sleeping on the couch behind them. He didn't understand the cold illusion he was seeing now until he saw the wolf paw at the window next to the dog.

"Ice and illusions were always your specialty," Kyouya muttered to the wolf. He didn't know why the wolf was showing him illusions now since it always seemed content with causing a storm in his heart with its ice. Erika looked up at him in confusion since she didn't know who he was talking to. "It's okay Erika. You don't need to worry about me."

"Is it the wolf?" She asked even though she knew that it was the most likely cause of his silence. Erika frowned at his silence and tried to ask him again but he couldn't answer her. He leaned his head against the cold glass and tried to ignore the pain keeping him in place.

"Don't worry about it, she doesn't hate you." Kyouya thought Erika was only worried about her safety but he didn't know if it was true anymore. The wolf spoke to Erika and Nozomi already. It also caused the Cerberus to appear and Kyouya wondered what it truly wanted if it went to such length.

"What did you do to her? What does she want from you? It told me that you're the only one that could break the curse. Maybe if you told me more about how you were cursed, I can help you. Just let me in," Erika begged as she clutched his arm. She didn't know what he was going through but remembered how the wolf invaded her dream. "I love you and I don't want to lose you."

_But I can't lose what I never had in the first place_.

Kyouya's hand tightened into fists when he saw a woman appear next to the wolf. He couldn't see her clearly but he knew who she was. She placed her hand over the illusion of his dog on the other side of the mirror. There was nothing malicious about her action but he knew better. "_Don't you remember what it was like to lose someone you cared about?_"

"It's hard to lose an illusion," Kyouya turned away from the window and took Lime into his arms. It hurt him when his dog died and when he found out things like love and family was an illusion. Lime started to lick his cheek but he didn't respond to her.

"Kyouya?" She noticed how somber he was acting. Kyouya took the charm that connected him to Lime out of his pocket. She didn't know what he was planning to do until he took down the box on his shelf. Without a word, he placed the charm in the box and slammed the lid down. Lime faded away and Erika tried to take the box from him. "What are you doing to Lime?"

"She's just an illusion," Kyouya reminded her in an emotionless voice. "Thank you for the present but I don't want another illusion. That wolf will only get worse if she thinks I'm happy with that. Lime's safer in a box, anyways."

"I don't understand you sometimes," Erika remembered how happy he looked when he played with Lime yet he was pushing her away so easily. There was nothing fake about his happiness but she couldn't believe the lack of emotion he was showing now.

"I'll have to clean this room now, she left dog hair everywhere. This is why I said that having a pet is a hassle. They leave nothing but a mess when they leave." Erika saw something in his eyes before a cold ice dulled it. Maybe he did feel sad but he couldn't show it. There was no emotion on his face as he took out his phone and started to delete the photos of Lime from it.

Kyouya was lost in thought when Erika tackled him and they fell back onto his couch. She wrapped her arms around him and he could feel her heart beating over his. "I'm here too, Kyouya. I'm not an illusion and I'm not going to go anywhere."

Kyouya looked from Erika to the photo of her and Lime on his phone. He was going to delete it and force himself not to think of Lime anymore but he couldn't force himself to delete the photo. Erika sniffled against his chest and rubbed her nose against his shirt. "Are you pretending to be Lime? You aren't even close."

He wrapped his arms around her in return. Even though he tried to push her away with his words, she stayed by his side and that was a comfort to him. He didn't notice the storm outside or the wolf anymore. Kyouya knew that saying anything would ruin the moment so he stroked her head as he would Lime's.

Kyouya promised long ago that he wouldn't believe in an illusion like love. But when she looked up at his with her large brown eyes, he knew that he was screwed.

* * *

**I love the recent chapter for OTSKO and I have to feel guilty for how I wrote her dad since I can see how much he loves her in the manga now that we see more of his characters.**


	12. Confessions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

"Kyouya! Can we go to the libary after class?" Erika ran to him when she saw him enter the classroom. After she tried to comfort him the previous day, he pushed her away saying that he needed to be alone. She didn't want to leave him in his sadness but he all but forced her out of his home.

She was glad to see him come to class since it was her first day in the advance class. To her disappointment, his eyes were distant and she wondered if he believed a word she said that night. She wanted to give him support but she also wanted him to be there for her. Honestly, she was nervous starting the advance class without passing the exam.

Kyouya saw the hesitation in her eyes and he forced himself to look away. The emotions crossing her transparent eyes made him think of long ago faded illusions and he looked away. What luck was it that her seat was next to his? He wanted to push her away the moment he realized he was starting to fall for another illusion but knew that he couldn't.

It wasn't in her character to let him be and leave well enough alone. He also needed her help to break his curse but didn't know if it was worth risking the carefully crafted wall around him. Kyouya thought that he was smarter than to fall for an illusion again but he knew that he was dangerously close to falling into the same trap with Erika. She said she loved him but what merit did the word 'love' hold?

Even if it was spoken by the most honest person he knew…

"Kyouya? You look really upset. Is something on your mind?" Erika reached out to him and he stopped her action with a quick glare. Her shock cut him with guilt and he didn't know why he was starting to care about her emotions. Kyouya let out a heavy breath. He rested his head on his hand and looked out the window to appear casual.

"You don't need to worry about me," He told her with finality. He wanted to throw as many accusations as he could to push her away but he didn't. Kyouya knew that if she was any other girl, he would've but he found himself helpless to her illusion. _I really am an idiot, maybe more so than her. She doesn't know better but I do. I should've known better…_

"I don't really want to talk right now. I have a lot on my mind since Lime," Kyouya told her without turning to look at her. Erika thought that he was missing Lime and felt guilty for giving him the gift when he told her that he didn't want to get attached to a pet. Kyouya felt her eyes on him and didn't need to turn to know that she was looking at him with pity. He deserved it for being truly hopeless.

"I'll help you study after class but you owe me," Kyouya consented in an annoyed tone but she still smile. He wondered why she was so happy with every little thing he did for her and the only hint was the love he saw in her eyes when he turned to face her. How long will it take for that emotion to fade? It faded so gradually for his parents that he didn't realize it was an illusion until it was too late.

"Being out of your apartment might be good for you," Erika told him and was glad to see that he was slowly opening himself to her again. She was afraid that he would shut her out after he pushed away Lime so easily. But she remembered the pain in his eyes and thought that he didn't want to be closed off from others. "I'll meet you there after class then!"

"Miss. Shinohara," A book dropped loudly on her desk and Erika jumped at the professor's voice. He stared down sternly at her and she looked down in shame. She was so distracted that she didn't notice that the class had already started. "If you have time to whisper in class, I assume that you already know about fairies. Stand up and tell the class what a fairy's weakness is."

Erika didn't have a choice in the matter and she hoped the answer would come to her as she stood. She thought of all the fairy tales her mother told her as a child and hoped there was a hint in them. The teacher waited for her in silence but the other students started to whisper which made Erika more nervous. She bit her lower lip when she heard one comment.

"That's Kyouya's girlfriend? How did she get into the program if she doesn't even know the simplest thing about magical creatures? Why would a prince choose an average commoner like her?" Kyouya sighed as he tried to ignore their comments. He knew that there was no merit in their words but women would make up anything when they dislike someone.

Erika almost laughed at the comment. They obviously didn't hear the teacher refer to her by her surname or they wouldn't call her a commoner. Their words hurt her pride but she stood straighter. She wasn't Kyouya's girlfriend but she didn't want to embarrass him. Kyouya coughed next to her and their eyes met before she realized that he was pointing to his notebook where he wrote the answer.

"Metal," Erika said quickly. One of the books in her father's library came to mind, "Metal is like poison to them. Robert Kirk wrote of his interaction with them, saying how they're anger over the destruction of land the manufacturing industry caused which shows their connection to nature. Because of this, the trading industry has been having trouble transporting goods through the forest occupied by them."

"I only asked you to name their weakness," The professor stated before returning to the lesson. Erika let out a breath of relief and sat back in her desk. Kyouya wondered how she was knowledgeable about trade routes but found himself grinning at the girls who were whispering about her. He had to admit that he thought of her as an airhead even if it was endearingly so.

_Endearingly so? Man, I'm really losing it_. Kyouya hated to think that he was letting someone like Erika under his skin but he knew that he would only be lying to himself. He wished that it was different but he only needed to close his eyes to see hers and feel a chill rush through him. She was turning him into an idiot and she wasn't even aware that she was doing so.

A folded piece of paper landed on his desk and he knew that it was from Erika before he opened it. She smiled secretly and her impish smile made him wonder what she wrote. But when he opened the note, he found that it was blank. He raised an eyebrow at her but she was ignored him and wrote in her notebook. When he looked back at the paper, he found that words appeared on it.

_Thank you, Kyouya! You really saved me. My mother showed me this spell where I can link two pieces of paper together so we can talk to each other without the professor knowing. She said she used to use this spell all the time while my father was away. Isn't it beautiful how magic bring people together even if they're in different countries?_

The paper started to fill quickly and her sunny personality shined in the words. The lesson bored him since he was already familiar with the topic of magical creatures. He found Erika much more entertaining anyway. When he realized where his thoughts were leading to, he quickly wrote. _You should concentrate on the lesson._

_I guess you're right_, appeared on the page and when nothing followed he felt oddly disappointed. When had her words start to mean so much to him?

* * *

Unable to hide her anticipation of being able to meet Kyouya after class, Erika shifted from feet to feet as she waited in line. She wanted to buy lunch for them before she went to meet him at the library. While she waited in line, she thought of the tickets to a show her mother sent her but she didn't know if Kyouya would go with her.

After making her purchase, she ran to the library with the bag. She hoped that he would like the rice balls she bought. He never told her what kind of food he liked but she spent enough time with him to know that he didn't like anything sweet and the simple rice balls might align with his taste. If he did like them, she vowed to cook some for him later.

Erika's steps slowed when she neared the library and saw Kyouya talking to a girl. Jealousy rose within her but she couldn't bring herself to interrupt them since neither seemed to notice her yet. Kyouya looked down at her with his princely smile and even though she knew it was a part of his act, it still stopped her heart seeing that smile directed at another girl.

She recognized the girl in front of Kyouya because she was in the advance class as well. What Erika worried about was they knew each other outside of the school but only vaguely. Kasai was the daughter of a wealthy family and she looked elegant to match her title. That was the kind of person Kyouya would have by his side if they weren't in a fake relationship.

Kyouya looked at his watch subtly as the girl's words became a buzz. He had so many girls approach him that sending them off with a smile had become routine to him. It irritated him that this one was more persistent than the others and hoped that Erika would arrive soon so he could escape the conversation.

"Why are you with someone like Erika?" She demanded and Kyouya sighed. It was a question he heard from his admirers ever since he started the façade. He didn't tell Erika since he knew she would only blame herself and become upset. But he was becoming increasingly annoyed with the girls questioning his choice as if they could change him.

He gave the girl the same answer he told the others that was becoming less of a lie every time he saw Erika's honest smile. "I love her."

Erika's heart quickened at his words but slowed to painful stop when she remembered that he was only lying for the sake of their lie. She stayed hidden in the shadows and wonder how much of their conversation she could bear to listen to since it was a reminder that his heart wasn't hers.

"I don't believe you," The girl stomped her feet and Kyouya struggled to keep his princely persona intact. He knew she was a highborn daughter but her attitude was wearing on his patient. "You said you didn't have a girlfriend and didn't want a relationship throughout your first year here yet that chit comes and suddenly you're all lovey dovey? Why would our prince chose such a plain girl like her?"

"She wanted to keep it a secret until she entered the school," Kyouya answered. "I don't think that I'm anyone's prince except for Erika's but I'm sure you'll find of your own one day."

Kyouya expected her to say something more but noticed someone walk towards them nervously. He wondered how much of their conversation she heard but was glad that he could leave. Quickly making his way to Erika, he took her hand and started to pull her away. "It was nice talking to you, Kasai, but I have to go. I have a study date with Erika right now."

"I bought us some rice balls to eat before we study." Erika held out the bag to him, aware of how the awkward tension made her voice tight. Kyouya heard it and he knew that she heard Kasai's opinion of their relationship. She was glad that Kasai didn't seem to recognize her and pull Kyouya away before she could. "If you like them, I'll make some homemade rice balls next time."

"She really is a commoner," She heard the whisper beneath her breath as they left but Erika wanted to ignore her. "I'm sure her mother was too ill mannered to teach her some."

Erika turned sharply when she heard the insult towards her family. She didn't care what people said about her but she wouldn't stand for someone hurting the ones she loved. "I may be common but I would rather have kindness than riches. My mother taught me that and much more."

Kyouya placed his arm around her shoulder when Kasai would've said something more. As he ushered Erika, he made sure Kasai saw him smile kindly to Erika. Hopefully the act would make her think that there was no hope in breaking them up and give up. Once they were inside the library, he turned to Erika. "Does that happen often?"

She didn't answer him and he realized that she hadn't heard a thing he said since he placed his arm around her. She had a content smile on her face as she leaned into his shoulder and he wondered what she was fantasizing about. Slightly irritated, he pulled on her cheek to bring her back to reality. She winced and slapped his hand away, "Why did you do that?"

"It's your fault for being distracted." Kyouya accused as he sat at one of the tables. She sat next to him and opened the box of rice balls she bought. As he ate it, he asked her again. "Does that usually happen, girls targeting you because of me? I know girls can be vindictive and jealous so I won't be surprise. But if it does happen, I want you to tell me and I'll deal with it."

He didn't look into her eyes when he told her that but the words were enough to touch her heart. She grinned to herself and voiced her thought. "It's almost like you really care for me now."

Kyouya felt a cold rush down his back at the statement. Wanting to hide the truth from her, he hid his embarrassment under a harsh tone. "I promised your mother that I'll take care of you and she'll question our relationship if I don't honour that. I don't understand why girls would act so catty towards each other since it's pointless and immature."

"I guess you're right." Erika finished her rice ball quickly. She wondered how she would react if Kyouya was in love with someone else. She hoped that her love wouldn't be unrequited and Kyouya would open his heart to her but if he let someone else in his heart, she could only be happy for him. He had been so cold to love that him showing it to anyone was a miracle.

"I should throw this away before anyone sees us eating in the library," Erika stood and gathered the paper on the table. She didn't want to linger on the thought of Kyouya with another girl so tried to distract herself. Hopefully, studying magic with Kyouya would help her since there was a lot she needed to go over. "Since I'm already up, do you want me to get you anything?"

"Can you hand me the grimoire titled _Connecting Stars_? It should be on the fourth shelf of that bookshelf." Kyouya pointed behind him and Erika gave him a long sigh. Honestly, it was closer to him and he could simply get it himself but she already offered to do it. She huffed and Kyouya laughed in response. "If you were anyone else's dog, they'll take advantage of your kindness."

"If you were anyone else, you wouldn't call me a dog." Erika pouted as she threw out the papers. He chuckled and that small smile made her want to forgive him… almost. Sometimes, she wondered why she loved him but there was no denying how her heart reacted to him. She looked over her shoulder to see Kyouya making notes in his textbook and wondered what he was thinking.

She turned back to the bookshelf and scanned the books for the grimoire. When she stood, she had to stand on her toes to reach it. Erika let out a small yelp when she felt someone bump into her and she grabbed onto the bookshelf to steady herself. It started to tilt towards her and the books fell. Instinctively, she knelt and covered her head to protect herself from the falling bookcase.

"Erika! _Citatus, ursus_." She heard the books hit the ground but surprisingly felt no pain. Erika quickly opened her eyes and saw Kyouya leaning over her. He protected her from the falling books with his body while a bear he summoned kept the bookshelf from crushing them both. He winced in pain and his eyes didn't focus on her which made Erika worry.

"Are you okay, Kyouya? Do you feel hurt anywhere?" Erika made sure her touch was gentle when she touched the back of his head to make sure there wasn't a lump. She couldn't believe he summoned a bear to protect her when they both knew his curse will take its toll on him. His eyes finally focused on her but his frown deepened as he sent the bear back to its forest.

"Fuck, why does it have to be you?" Kyouya asked in a quiet voice but Erika couldn't bring herself to pull her hand away from him. Confusing feelings raged through him when the only thing he could see was the honest concern in her brown eyes. Even though he felt the sting of his curse, her hand on his hair soothed him slightly.

Kyouya's eyes hardened further and he raised his hand. For a moment, she thought he would yell at her for being clumsy so she was surprised when she felt his hand on her cheek. He leaned closer to her and she stopped breathing once his lips touched her. They were soft and warm but she only felt the sensation for a moment before he pushed himself away from her roughly.

"Stay away from me!" His voice was coarse as he left her confused. Erika could only watch his back as he ran out of the library. Touching her lip lightly, she wondered if she had imagined the kiss. He kissed her… He only needed her to break his curse so why did he protect her and kiss her? Why did he run away? Not wanting to be left with those questions, she ran after him.

"Wait, Kyouya!" Erika gathered their things from the table before following him. He was walking quickly to not draw attention to himself but she didn't have that concern as she sprinted after him. She screamed his name but that only caused him to walk faster. He was almost in his house when she caught him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Erika was out of breath and Kyouya could feel her lean into his back to keep herself from collapsing. He knew he could easily push her away but couldn't bring himself to. He focused on the forest to keep himself from turning to her. "Why did you run from me? Please, Kyouya, look at me. I know I didn't imagine you kissing me so I want to know why you ran!"

"Because you scare me!" Erika was shocked by his answer and loosened her arms enough for him to escape. He didn't run into his house but turned to face her instead. His hands shook and she wanted to hold him but knew she shouldn't. Kyouya didn't try to hide the coldness in his eyes. "Why won't you just leave before I fall for another damn illusion? You're making me want things I shouldn't."

Kyouya took a step back from her and she took one forward. "I'll only hurt you. That the only thing people in my family can do. Give you lies and hurt you. That bitch was right when she said that I'm nothing more than a heart covered in heart. I can't love you but you're making me start to. I don't want you to help me with my curse anymore so just leave."

Kyouya closed his eyes and waited to hear her footsteps leave him alone in the cold. He knew that she would since that was how all illusions ended. He didn't hear her move but felt her hands on his shoulders before she kissed him softly. He opened his eyes and stared down at her in confusion while she only smiled up at him.

"It's too late to tell me to leave. I'm not going anywhere because I love you." For the first time, he believed those words that promised forever. "She was wrong when she said your heart is ice and I'm going to break her curse to prove it."

"You're an idiot," Kyouya said softly and wrapped his arms around her. "But I guess I'm an idiot too."

Erika laughed and Kyouya smiled back for the first time that day. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his heart but there was something still weighing on him. He didn't know if he could give himself to loving Erika or what to do if he did completely fall in love with her.

"I know that it's the guy's job to ask out the girl but do you want to go on a date with me?" Erika looked up at him and he could tell that she was nervous. He instinctively placed his hand on her head softly and it was all she needed to bring herself to continue. "I want to show you how much I love you so why don't we try going out? Just one date, okay?"

Kyouya knew that it was best to reject her again but her eyes shone with hope. He knew what she was thinking and imagining that she finally opened his heart. She waited for his answer, without saying another word but she placed her hand over his. "You're really persistent so you'll probably nag me until I agree. Don't think that this changes anything."

Erika laughed since he insisted on keeping his bravado even though he already admitted that he was dangerously close to falling in love with her. Hopefully, he could see that she loved him and wouldn't be afraid of falling in love. Then she would be able to stay by his side even after they broke his curse. Thinking about it made her smile and she remembered the ticket her mother sent her.

"I know the perfect place for our first date! I want to go see the rainbow blossoms tomorrow. My mother sent me tickets but I didn't know if you wanted to go with me. All the information's on the ticket." Erika took a ticket from her bag and held it out to him. "How about we meet an hour before the show at the Christmas tree we took a picture in front of?"

Kyouya didn't answer before she nervously stepped back from him. She smiled widely at him before she ran down the path to the dorms. Erika called back to him, "I need to go ask San-chan to help me chose an outfit. It's a date so don't be late!"

Kyouya looked down at the ticket she handed him. He couldn't remember the last time he been on a date with someone as honest as Erika, if he ever did. She said she wanted to show him love but he had seen enough to know that it didn't last and shouldn't be bothered with. He watched her leave and wondered what to do next.

* * *

Kyouya thought of all the reason he should call Erika and cancel their date but her excited eyes turned them all mute. He shouldn't had kissed her since that only made her more hopeful and now he was forced to sit through a show with her. He looked at the ticket again and knew that he had an hour before he needed to leave.

"Of course Erika will choose a place like this for a date," Kyouya muttered and could already imagine the disaster the date would be. The show was outside and likely to be crowded. In the past, he wouldn't even consider going but now he didn't know. "Maybe it won't be so bad."

"_Don't you look happy_?" A laugh made him turn and he scowled at the sight of the wolf sitting on his bed. His frown only tightened when he saw the woman that cursed him next to the wolf. She was only an illusion and she was so transparent he could barely see her. "_It's so ugly I'm only giving you five points. Love sick isn't a good look on you_."

"What do you want?" He asked her tightly but he knew that she wouldn't give him an answer. He hadn't seen her since he entered the academy but wasn't excited for a reunion. "Forget it, I don't have time to play your games. I just want to know one thing: leave Erika alone. I don't want another stunt like the Cerberus. Someone could've gotten hurt."

"_There's no one here but us so you don't need to pretend to be a prince. We both know who you really are, so don't bother with the act_." Kyouya ignored her and tried to walk past her. Her brows furrowed. "_Don't tell me you're actually serious about this girl. I know you and you're only going to hurt her. After all the times I hear you talk shit about love, you're going on a date_?"

"This has nothing to do with you." Kyouya knew that she was an illusion and walked through her.

"_Why are you being so cold? We love you so why don't you come back and give it another chance? I'll even lift your curse if you can tell me the truth about the illusions you see._" Kyouya's only answer was slamming the door. "_Then I wish you luck with this new illusion_."

* * *

**What to write as an A/N… derp.**


	13. Rain

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

Erika ran to the Christmas tree but her steps were light so they barely touched the ground for long. She knew that people were staring at her but she didn't care. She was happy and she couldn't contain it. It was her first date with someone that cared for her. Her first date might've been with Kimura but she couldn't compare the feelings she had for Kyouya to then.

The days were still short so the sun was already beginning to set. At the same time, someone light the tree and she smiled fondly at it. She and Kyouya took a picture in front of the tree before and wanted to take so many more pictures with him.

Even if it was getting dark, Erika wasn't worried. Her mother told her that the rainbow blossoms were more beautiful during the night and she looked forward to seeing them with Kyouya. She checked her watch and saw that she still had ten minutes before Kyouya arrived but she didn't know if she could wait so long to start their date.

Telling herself that she needed to be patient, Erika sat on a bench and looked towards the street she knew Kyouya would take. She imagined him walking towards her and thought of how she would greet him. She wondered if he would be frowning or smiling when he arrived but knew that he would most likely have his usual scowl. No matter how much he tried to hide it, she knew that he was kind.

She wore her best dress for the occasion though Sanda argued against it since it was still cold. Erika reasoned that the show would be warm so she didn't need to worry. So she hoped that Kyouya would come soon so they could go into one of the shops and get something quick to eat. She kept searching the crowd for him and hoped he would complement her dress.

The clock tower charmed and she had already thought of several different things she could do after their date but she couldn't see Kyouya's face among the arriving crowd. She looked at her phone and saw that it was the agreed upon time for them to meet. Erika didn't think too much of it, "He doesn't need to be here at exactly eight. He'll probably be here in a couple minutes."

Twenty minutes passed and there was still no sign of him. The show was going to start and she could see people start to make their way to the show. Erika was beginning to regret wearing a skirt and made a small flame to keep herself warm. "He probably forgot that we were meeting early. The show hasn't started yet so I'm sure he'll be here soon."

Erika knew that she couldn't sustain the flame for long without staining her magic so smothered the flame in her hands. As she did so, she felt something cold fall onto her head. At first she thought it was snow but quickly realized that it was rain. It was dark that she didn't notice the rain clouds gathering above her. She yelped when the rain suddenly fell harder over her.

Others around her ran for shelter and Erika started to follow their lead but she stopped herself. She promised Kyouya that she would wait for him beside the tree. He wouldn't be able to find her if she went into one of the shops. She held her coat over her head and told herself, "I'll only have to wait for a little bit. Kyouya will be here soon."

Another half an hour passed and Erika started to worry. It was still pouring and Kyouya still haven't arrived. The town square wasn't crowded and she doubted they would pass each other without noticing one another. What if something happened to him? With that thought, Erika quickly called him but he didn't answer his phone.

The low ring matched her sinking heartbeat as her imagination raced. She hated to think that he was hurt but there was no other reason for him to miss their date. Quickly calling Nozomi and Takeru, she told them that she was worried about Kyouya. "Can you look for him? I'll wait here in case he comes back to the Christmas tree. I want to help find him but I don't want to miss him."

Erika took out the ticket from her pocket and sighed. Missing the show was a shame but she cared about Kyouya more. They could go on another date so the only thing she wanted was to see Kyouya safe. She hoped that it was something simple that kept him from their date and nothing relating to his curse. Looking into the crowd, she called Kyouya's name hoping that it would summon him.

"Where are you?" Erika whispered to herself and sank onto the bench. Feeling powerless, she was left with nothing to do but wait for him. Her dress was ruined and her voice was becoming hoarse from calling his name. She wished she knew a locator spell so she could go to him instead of wait. Once again, she tried calling him but he never answered.

She didn't know how long she waited for him or how many times she tried calling him but her phone was almost out of power when she checked the time. Eleven o'clock. They were supposed to meet at eight but it was almost eleven now. Feeling something cold around her heart, Erika choked on the worry she had for him. Her head felt as heavy as her heart and she didn't know if it was because of the cold or the rain.

"Erika?" She heard someone stop behind her but her vision was beginning to become blurry and voices started to sound far away. Her body was too numb to stand but she summoned enough strength to turn. Kyouya stood behind her with wide eyes and she smiled back. He was safe. His lips moved but she couldn't hear what he said.

"You came," Erika said in a weak voice before she felt her body start to fall. She started to drift to unconsciousness but knew someone caught her in their arms before she could fall. She wished she had to energy to open her eyes but let herself fall into the person's warmth.

* * *

"You bastard! What were you going to do, leave her out there to die of pneumonia?" Erika heard someone scream and groaned since it made her head pound harder. She wanted to tell them to speak softer but her voice was harsh. She flinched when the voice screamed again, "She was waiting in the rain for three hours! Don't you feel bad at all?"

"I do," A small voice replied. She finally opened her eyes and they focused on Kyouya quickly. They were in his living room and she wondered if he carried her there. Takeru, Sanda and Nozomi were also in the room and she didn't know why the there was tension surrounding them. Kyouya was the first one to notice that she was awake and stepped towards her but Sanda stepped between them.

"I'm through with watching you be an ass to my best friend! I don't care how you were cursed, it doesn't give you a reason to play with her like this. She was so excited to go on this date with you but if I knew you would stand her up like this, I would've stopped her from going!" It was the first time Erika heard Sanda scream and she wanted to defend Kyouya but her voice was mute. "You don't deserve her!"

Nozomi looked from Kyouya to Sanda, not knowing what to say. He thought Kyouya cared for Erika but he couldn't think of any possible reason to justify what he did to Erika. Nozomi doubted that the feelings he saw behind Kyouya's action couldn't be entirely an act. "We just want to know why you left her waiting there. You could've called her at least."

"Please don't yell," Erika finally managed though it hurt her throat. The three turned to look at with a mix of shock and pity. Kyouya was the first the knelt by her side and she smiled up at him. She could see the worry on their faces so tried to reassure them. "I'm alright. I'm just glad that you're safe, Kyouya. When you didn't show up, I was so worried that something happened to you."

"You idiot, you should be resting." Kyouya lifted her from the couch. He looked down at her with a pained expression but her mind was beginning to drift again. She let herself sleep but thought she heard him whisper. "I'm the idiot. I'm sorry, Erika."

* * *

When Erika woke, she found herself in Kyouya's bed. Her body felt much lighter and she sat up in bed, wondering how long she slept. She opened the curtain slightly to see that it was still night since the moon was still in the sky. Her hands fell onto her lap and she realized that someone had changed her out of her wet clothes and into a fresh shirt.

"What are you blushing for?" Kyouya walked into the room and he raised a brow at her when he saw her face become more flushed. She pulled the blanket over her head since she couldn't look at him. Feeling irritated, he tried to pull the blanket away from her. "I can't take your temperature if you're hiding under my blanket. Come out now."

Reluctantly, Erika pulled the blanket from over her head. She played with the hem of the shirt and Kyouya could easily read of thoughts. "After Sanda finished yelling at me, she used a spell to change your clothes. Sleeping in that wet dress would only make your fever worse. It's late so everyone went back home."

"Have you been watching me this entire time?" Erika asked and he nodded after a moment. She felt glad despite a small part of her still feeling wary since she still felt the chill from waiting in the rain for him. With an unsteady voice, she said. "I was waiting for you and I worried something happened to you. Did something happen?"

"I don't know," Kyouya sat on the edge of the bed. She looked at him, confused and he thought of the best way to explain to her. "I wanted to take a walk before I met you but in the end I just went to the river and stayed there… I didn't realize how much time had pass until I went to the tree and saw you there. I don't have any excuse for leaving you there."

Kyouya expected tears or screams but Erika didn't give him either. The hurt that quietly washed over her was much louder than either as she forced herself to look up at him. He held his breath, waiting for her to say something. Her face didn't show any emotion as she spoke softly. "Thank you for telling me the truth, even if you-"

"Why aren't you angrier?" Kyouya found himself screaming since she wouldn't show any emotion. "I left you waiting in the rain for hours. You should be calling me a bastard and throwing me out on my ass. I don't understand why you're being so forgiving. I'm sure if I asked you out again, you'll wait outside in the rain like you did today."

"I probably would," Erika laughed at herself sadly. "It was lonely waiting but I'm glad that I got to spend this time with you. Are you going to leave once I fall asleep again?"

"I won't, don't worry." Kyouya could tell that she was drifting off again. When he pulled his blanket over her, she reached out to him and he took her hand. Even when he felt her pulse slow, he didn't let go of her hand. She was so pure yet she stayed by his side. "I don't understand you at all… What's so good about me anyways?"

Kyouya leaned towards her and pressed his lips to her forehead. Erika didn't wake but he felt her fingers move slightly. Why did she love him when he did nothing to deserve it? What did she see in him that merited anything, even something sleeting like love? He closed his eyes and saw her standing in the rain again and felt something painful around his heart.

It wasn't his curse but deep guilt. He knew that she loved him but he didn't know how much until he saw her pained smile. Sanda was right to yell at him and he should leave Erika to fall in love with someone that deserved her devotion. He wasn't that man and didn't know if he could ever be. Did he want to be that man?

Erika turned in her sleep and the bell on her necklace chimed, giving him his answer. He was a selfish bastard that wanted the illusion she offered. It was warm and felt so real that he could let himself be fooled by it.

As Kyouya thought of what he would say to her when she woke, he fell asleep himself. He kept his hand around hers so woke when it slipped from his. Sitting up, he noticed that she was starting to wake as well. His mind raced since he still hadn't thought of a way to apologize for leaving her in the rain. Even before she fully rubbed the sleep from her eyes, he blurted.

"Do you want anything?" She looked up at him in confusion and he went on with a slight blush. "I was wrong to leave you so I want to make it up to you. For the next twenty four hours, I'm not a prince. I'll be your butler. I'll do anything you ask so what do you want?"

Erika thought for a moment before answering with a grin. Kyouya swallowed the slight fear he felt since he didn't know what she would ask of him. "I want you to make me a burger."

"A burger? I don't think you should eat fast food when-" Kyouya stopped when she pouted at him and reminded him that he said he would be her butler. He had never cooked in his life, opting to buy his meals instead. When he saw her face was still slightly flushed, guilt pushed him into nodding. "I need to go to the store to buy the ingredients. Rest while I go out and buy them."

"Okay," Erika nodded with a smile. Kyouya didn't know why she asked him to make a burger when she could've asked for much more. He thought she would ask for more even though he knew that she was easily pleased. "Come back soon."

When Kyouya returned, he checked on Erika quickly and found her asleep. She even smiled as she slept and he wondered how the sight of him could make him feel so happy. He thought of how she looked after him when he was bedridden by his curse and wondered if she felt the same as he did now. Closing the door softly, he went to the kitchen to cook for her.

He had never cooked for someone before so bought a cookbook at random and hoped she would like the burger. It was one of the rare times he missed having magic since making her dinner would've been easier with it. The instructions were easy enough to follow and he finished it quickly. As he was walking to his room, he imagined her reaction.

Kyouya heard something fall and he ran into the living room where the sound came from. The box he kept his photos in lay open on the ground and he wondered what knocked it over. With a heavy sigh, he set the box aside and went to pick up the photos. He didn't focus on any of the memories, not wanting to remember them or give them any further thought.

"I heard something fall," He turned to see Erika in the doorway with his blanket draped over her. She didn't hesitate before going to him and helping him organize the photos on the ground. Unlike him, she studied the photos as she put them away and Kyouya knew that she wanted to ask him questions. It was only natural that she did.

"You can ask, if you want to." Kyouya said quietly, not looking into her eyes. "I said I'll be your butler and do whatever you ask."

"It's okay," She handed back the photos to him. "You can tell me when you're ready. Right now, all I want is to eat that burger you made for me! I can't wait to eat a special meal full of love just for me."

She had a dreamy look in her eyes that made something move in his heart. To hide his reaction, he threw back a snarky response. Erika only laughed since it didn't have the same bite it did when they first met. She felt as if they were growing closer and went to sit on the couch as Kyouya handed the plate to her. "Thank you, Kyouya."

Kyouya didn't answer and watched her eat instead. She was still slightly flushed so he was reminded that he was responsible for her fever. Yet she sat across from him now with nothing but trust and love in her eyes. He was supposed to give her a chance but hurt her in the end. Even when he wanted her to yell at him, she didn't. "My mother made me burgers whenever I was sick so I've grown to love it."

"I never liked the snow but my sister made me love it." Kyouya found himself telling her about his childhood. "She used her snow magic to created animals to play with me when out parents were away for work. For a while, they were my only friends along with my sister. When she had to go away for school, my mother bought me Lime so I wouldn't be lonely."

Erika listened quietly as he went on, "It was just me and Lime for a while. Even though I saw my parents and my sister rarely, I thought we were happy. I wanted to repay my sister for showing me magic and tried to learn everything I could about it. I was practising one day and Takeru saw me. That was the first day we met and we became friends."

"Magic does have a wonderful way of bringing people together."

"It also has a cruel way of tearing people apart," Kyouya leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling without focusing on anything but the past. "I was eight when my parents told me that they were going to have a divorce. No reason and no hint to why, just that they didn't love each other anymore. I don't even know why they bother to get married and have kids if their feelings were so weak."

"I'm sure they loved each other once." Erika tried to console him and took his hands.

"I think they did love each other too." Kyouya admitted for the first time. "But illusions never last. I should've left well enough alone but I thought I could fix it all with magic. If I showed them something beautiful like my sister could, I could have that illusion of family again. I spent weeks practicing Animal Taming magic and begged my parents to take time off their work to see me magic."

"Did they like it?" Erika hesitated before asking.

"They never even saw it," Kyouya said with a bitter laugh. "I waited outside the house in the snow for hours and they didn't even bother to call saying that they couldn't make it. I guess I'm as shitty as my parents since that's what I did to you. I got accepted into the academy as quickly as I could to get away from that house and told them not to bother coming to the acceptance ceremony."

Erika slipped her hand from his and hugged him. He didn't push her away, instead he returned her embrace. He leaned his head against her shoulder and she wished there was more she could do for him. "I love you and I won't stop loving you Kyouya. You don't have to worry about me going anywhere like your parents did. I can't even stop loving you if I wanted."

"We're both hopeless, aren't we?" Kyouya laughed against her shoulder. "I remember there was this one girl I met when I was practicing magic in the forest. She was being chased by her own illusion and she wouldn't stop crying. I showed her some of my magic and she stopped. I guess that was when I thought I could use magic to save my family…"

Erika's arms stiffened around him and he looked up, confused with her reaction. She bit her lower lip, "Was the illusion of a boar?"

"How did you know?" Kyouya raised a brow at her confused as she sat next to him.

"When I was little, I was constantly chased by the monsters in my mother's storybook and I didn't know why. One day, a boar chased me out of my mother's garden and into the forest. I must've looked like a chicken without its head since I was panicking so much. But this boy saved me and showed me magic. It was then that I fell in love with magic and later that boy."

Kyouya stared at her for a moment, not knowing what to say. He couldn't understand why she loved magic so much and why she never shaken in that belief. He could barely remember that girl from long ago and only thought of her again because of the one dreams he had every night. He wondered if the wolf had a hand in bring them together since it was something the witch would do.

Erika smiled brightly and Kyouya made a small one. The girl he met by chance changed his life so much though she would've said that it was reversed. Seeing her smile now reminded him of how she smiled that day and thought she still acted like a wide eyed girl. It was something so simple and pure, he felt something he fought for a long time, love.

"Maybe we can extend our agreement a little longer. I'll do whatever you want for a weekend and you can call me your boyfriend." Kyouya told her with a rare blush. Erika thought he was still trying to make up for leaving her in the rain but knew that he wouldn't do so much for guilt alone and that left only love as a reason. "Where do you want to go?"

"If you're my boyfriend now, I want you to be the one that plans the date." Erika told him with a grin. He thought he misheard her for a moment but her Cheshire smile told him he didn't. He wanted to argue but stopped when she leaned against his side. "This will be our first official date. Hopefully, it'll be better than waiting in the rain for hours."

Kyouya felt the bite of her comment and sighed. "Fine, I'll plan out the date but don't get your hopes up for anything too fancy. I'm not the romantic type. Now get some rest while I think of a date for tomorrow."

* * *

Erika felt something soft on her cheek and its touch tickled her slightly. She tried to push it away but it insisted on waking her and she pushed herself up. With a frustrated glare, she looked at the creature that woke her. Even though she was feeling refreshed after her nap, she wanted to sleep a little more.

"A squirrel?" Erika jumped back, wondering why an animal was in her bed. She realized that she was in Kyouya's bed but he wasn't in the room. Looking at the clock, she realized that she had slept through the entire night and it was almost noon. The squirrel nudged at her hand and gestured to a letter on the pillow.

She recognized Kyouya's handwriting immediately but was confused at why he only wrote a time and location. _Meet me in front of the Christmas tree at ten_.

"Our date!" Erika finally remembered that she asked him to plan their date and checked the time. It was almost noon and she rushed to change her clothes. She was still pulling her scarf around her when she ran out of his home, towards the tree, and she hoped that he hadn't left. Running as fast as she could, she was able to reach the town within ten minutes.

She only slowed when she came closer to the tree and saw Kyouya waiting in front of it. He looked up and walked to her when their eyes met. Feeling her heart race, she ran to him again and rushed to apologize. "I'm so sorry I over slept. I hope I didn't make you wait long."

"I guess this is karma for what I did to you. I'll forgive you this one time but don't make me wait again." He told her and held out a flower with a rare blush. "This old lady saw me waiting and I told her that I was waiting for my girlfriend. She said I should give you this."

"A white coronation," Erika took the flower from him and held it to her nose. "They mean pure love. Thank you!"

"I didn't even know what the flower's meaning was so don't get so wide eyed, it's weird. If you get this happy over a flower, it won't take a lot to impress you on this date. Let's go," Kyouya took her hand and led her away. When he looked back, he smiled slightly to himself since she was still smiling at the flower.

He hoped his plan for their date would make her happy.

* * *

**I am a truly evil person torturing my OTP like this but I do love them and I plan for an extra fluffy chapter for them. I just wanted their first date to be planned by Kyouya but it wasn't in his character to offer it right up without prompt (at least in this point in their relationship).**


	14. First Date

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

"Are you going to keep sniffing that flower the entire day?" Kyouya asked as his brow twitched. He bought it on a whim when the old woman told him that he should give it to her on their first date but now regretted it. He went through the trouble of planning their date and she was ignoring him within the first ten minutes! Why did a flower make her so happy?

"I'm just so happy that you did something so romantic. This is going to be a wonderful date." She smiled softly and Kyouya found it hard to continue being angry with her. Did she know what she did to him? He was painfully aware of her presence as she sat next to him on the train. He hoped the trip would be worth the trouble and that she would be happy with his plans.

Erika started to fiddle with her bag and he wondered if she forgot something. Kyouya looked at his watch to make sure that they had enough time to go back to the dorms. He wouldn't be surprise if she did forget something. She looked slightly worried as she studied the flower again. "What's wrong?"

"I'm worried this flower will get squished if I put it in my purse. If only I brought a book to press it in and I can preserve it forever. I could hold it the entire time but what if I drop it or forget it? Worst, if I'm holding the coronation the entire time, I won't be able to hold your hand." Erika told him and he almost laughed at how simple her worries were but stopped himself.

"You're hopeless. Give me that flower," Kyouya took it from her hand before she could move. Slightly worried about what he was planning, she tried to take it back but he stopped her with a hand on her cheek. He held her face in his hand and she closed her eyes for a moment. She felt his soft touch in her hair and she opened her eyes but he was already leaning back against his chair again.

"Mom, that girl has a pretty flower in her hair. Can I have one too?" A small girl across from them asked and pointed towards her. Curious, Erika looked at her reflection in the window and saw that Kyouya had placed the coronation in her hair. Touching it lightly, Erika grinned to herself. He could be surprisingly romantic at times and she voiced that comment to him.

When she was staring up at him with wonder, he felt nervous and tried to hide it by pushing at her shoulder so she wasn't so close to him. She fumbled to steady herself again and made sure that the flower was still in place once she did. "I don't want you worry over a silly flower the entire date. I'm surprised that even you couldn't think of a solution as simple as putting it in your hair."

"I love it," Erika giggled. She looked out the window to the passing trees and wondered where they were going since they were traveling by train. When she asked, he simply said that it was a surprised and he had to admit that he found her flustered face slightly cute. She was just too easy to tease. "I have to wonder how you're able to weave the flower into my hair so well."

"Are you jealous?" He asked in a teasing tone and she huffed, a silent sign that he was right in his assumption. Kyouya considered if he should tell her the truth. He pinched her cheek and said after a hesitation, "You don't have anything to be jealous about. My mother liked flowers and my sister and I would get her flowers for her birthday. She taught us tons of things about flowers."

"That's adorable. Little Kyouya must've been the sweetest thing ever," Erika thought back to the boy she met long ago but stopped when she remembered how sensitive the topic of his family was for him. He became stiff next to her and she placed her hand over his. He could see that she was truly sorry as she thought over what she should say. "I've ruined the mood, didn't I?"

"It's okay. I told you that I really don't really care since it's in the past." Kyouya told her and she looked conflicted. He nudged her again and she looked up at him. "You better not be frowning through our entire date. I didn't bother to buy us tickets to the Fairy Tale Park just for you not to enjoy it."

"Fairy Tale?" Erika squealed and several people turned to stare at her. She blushed, embarrassed, but couldn't hide her excitement. Kyouya laughed to himself at how easy it was to please her. "That's one of the most beautiful natural parks. Their rides are famous for being the perfect blend of modern magic and preserving nature. It's winter so the animals won't be out as much but that might be for the best."

"We'll be there in half an hour," Kyouya checked his watch. He yawned and leaned his head against her shoulder, causing her heart to leap. He opened his eyes slight and grinned up at her. "I've been up all night taking care of you and planning this date so in exchange, you're going to be my pillow."

"I guess I can since I'm your girlfriend now." Erika giggled but Kyouya didn't respond since he was already asleep. He looked different as he slept and she was glad that she was able to experience that moment. His face was more relaxed and more vulnerable. When she first fell in love with him, she never thought they would actually start dating.

"I love you, Kyouya." She whispered softly to him and touched his hair gently. Erika didn't see his lashes move slightly and his lips curved into a smile at her words.

* * *

"It's closed?" Erika's jaw dropped at she read over the notice on the entrance door again. She couldn't hide her disappointment and her shoulders slumped. Apparently, the previous night's storm caused the river located in the park to overflow. "They said that they should be able to fix the dam by five o'clock. Do you want to do something while we wait for the park to open again?"

"I didn't plan anything beyond the park." Kyouya scratched the back of his head. He knew that there would be a lot of activities that she would enjoy in the park so thought that they would spend a good amount of time in there. He looked at his watch again and saw that they needed to wait for six hours.

As he tried to think of some things they could do that would take six hours and he burst out laughing when Erika's stomach growled loudly. Kyouya ruffled her hair and pulled her away. "You sound like you have a monster in there. Let's go find something for you to eat before it comes out. I don't know a girl that eats more than you."

"My father said that a girl needs to have a healthy appetite if she wants to be happy." Erika puffed her cheeks. Kyouya didn't know if he should tell her that he actually found it charming that she didn't feel ashamed of whom she was.

"At least it looks like there are lot of cute shops near the park so we don't have to go too far." Erika started walking down the street and he fell into step next to her. She looked into each shop with interest but didn't buy anything. He knew that she didn't have expensive taste since she usually wore simple clothes. This was the first time he saw her dress so elegantly.

"Do you think she needs help?" Erika stopped and stared at an elderly woman about to cross the road but the carriages were passing by too fast and frequently. Kyouya knew that Erika wanted to help her even before she pointed out the lady to him. "We should help her out. It probably won't take that long and I'm not that hungry so I can wait a little longer before finding a restaurant."

"You can do whatever you want," Kyouya shrugged but she smiled at his reply. He knew that Erika wouldn't be the woman he loved is she wasn't hopelessly kind to a fault. She went to the elderly woman and he followed her. He knew that Erika was small and wasn't strong enough to help the woman across the street so talked to the woman first. "Do you need help, madam?"

A kind, princely smile spread on Kyouya's face and Erika could see how the older woman instantly gravitated to it. Erika wondered if there was anyone he couldn't fool with that smile. But she was glad that he was kind enough to help the grandmother. "My legs aren't as good as they used to be. You are so kind for offering to help me. Can you carry me to my home?"

_Aren't you taking advantage of our kindness a little too much?_ Kyouya groaned inwardly. He knew that it was already too late to take back his offer when she and Erika started to talk to each other like old friends. He told himself that the woman's home couldn't be too far and knelt in front of the woman. With Erika's help, she climbed onto his back and they followed her instructions to her home.

"So this is your first date with this young man?" The old woman spoke with Erika and she blushed as she nodded. She knew that the conversation would likely turn to her relationship with Kyouya but she still felt giddy being able to talk about her relationship with someone. "You chose a really kind man so you shouldn't let anyone steal him from you."

Erika laughed lightly and Kyouya found himself watching her from the corner of his eyes. Her eyes always shined when she laughed. "Kyouya has his moments and I love him. He's actually very popular in school but I'm not going to let anyone take him from me. It's because of him that I'm able to stay in the academy and learn more magic!"

Kyouya barely joined their conversation as he walked down the street. He was beginning to wonder if the woman hadn't leaded them in a circle since they've been walking for near half an hour. He was sure that Erika was starving by now and he didn't know how much of the park they could enjoy in so little time. He felt relieved when the woman pointed out a house. "We're here."

"That's an adorable little house," Erika complimented as she helped the woman off Kyouya's back. Once he stood fully, he felt Erika's hands on his shoulder. He turned back to see her smile as she rubbed the tension from his shoulders. He blushed and looked away when she complimented him, "You're surprisingly kind to the elderly."

"Well, I knew you would insist on helping her so I really had no choice. Hopefully, we won't have to walk too much to find a place to eat." Kyouya knew they wouldn't be able to find a restaurant in the residential area the grandmother lived in. He thought back to some of the restaurants they passed on their way and wondered if Erika would like one.

"If you two are hungry, I have some sweets and you're welcomed to come in and have tea. I never get company and it's been so lonely since my husband passed away. I live alone and my grandson never comes by. You remind me of him actually, Kyouya, since you're so kind." Kyouya hated that the old woman was making it so hard for him to refuse.

He knew that he could only give one answer when he heard Erika's stomach growl. Even though she was hungry and tired from walking, her sympathy was for the woman. "I guess we still have some time, Kyouya. The park won't be open for a while and I'm fine with staying for a little. You must be hungry too so it's better to eat something now."

"Thank you for your generosity," Kyouya hid his growing annoyance and spoke kindly to the woman. They entered her living room and sat on the couch as she went to get tea and snacks. The room was covered in photos and Kyouya felt so uncomfortable when so many eyes surrounding them. They only needed to have one cup to appease the woman and they could leave.

They spent more than an hour looking over her photos. More specifically, the woman and Erika spent their time looking at photos. The old geezer had Kyouya running around the house doing repairs and he couldn't argue when she started to tell him about her back pain and how there was no one to help her. He was beginning to doubt her.

"I'm finished with the lights," Kyouya told them as he came into the living room. Erika stood and picked up some bread she wrapped in a cloth. She walked to him and held out the bread. He hoped that he would be able to eat it before the woman sent him on another errand.

"This is for you since you've been working so hard, Kyouya." She told him and he couldn't love her more when she turned to speak to the elderly woman. "We actually have something we need to do. Thank you for the food but we must be going."

The woman waved to them as they left. Erika held out the bread to him and smiled apologetically. "If I knew that she would tell you to do so much, I would've told her no. But I couldn't just leave her when I saw that she needed help. She must've been lonely if she kept looking for ways to make us stay. My mother always said that good things happen to kind people so something good might happen today."

"You're really too nice and I'm sure she was taking advantage of that," Kyouya pointed out and she wondered if that was true. He saw her brows furrowed and ruffled her hair, playfully. "At least we got to kill some time. The park should be open in three hours so what do you want to do? If you're still hungry, we can find a restaurant to eat at."

"I think she filled me with sweets," Erika laughed to herself. To be honest, she was more worried about Kyouya since he barely ate. He wouldn't like to eat in a crowded restaurant so thought of something they could do together. "How about we get some rice balls as snacks and see a movie? There should be a mini theatre here. Since there won't be that much people, we can be lovey-dovey like a real couple!"

"Give me a break." Kyouya didn't know why the thought of being 'lovey-dovey' with Erika made him shy and tried to hide how nervous he felt. He didn't feel like watching a movie but knew it would make her happy and they had nothing better to do while they waited for the park to be open. "Wasn't there a popular romance movie that just came out? Do you wanna watch it?"

"I didn't think you would like those kinds of movies." They stopped in front of the theater and she looked over the movies playing. One caught her eye and she pulled on Kyouya's sleeve to get his attention. "That's the new Kishibe-san movie! My father loves his movies and we always watch them together. My mother said she watched it with my father already so I want to watch it with you."

"Kishibe?" Kyouya looked at the movie poster and raised a brow at him. Kishibe was a famous actor that starred in a series about a war set in federal times and he couldn't see Erika watching his movies. When he asked her if she was really interested in it, she blushed. She knew that most girls weren't into series but wanted to see the movie.

"It's kind of a tradition for my family. I'll have to admit I'm not good with the bloody scenes but my dad always made me feel safe. He's like you in that way, you both know how to make me feel better. There's also a romance in it too. A common warrior and a princess, kept apart by their station but ultimately they find a way to be together."

Her eyes shined as she told him about the series so he took her hand and led her into the theater. "We'll watch the movie but you better not hold onto me too tightly when you get scared."

"So you're letting me hold you if I get scared?" Erika grinned and Kyouya realized what he said. He meant the comment to be teasing but couldn't take them back. He bought them tickets and they stepped into the elevator. She was still talking about the series and he wondered if it was as good as she was making it out to be.

As soon as the elevator was in motion, it jerked to a stop. Kyouya pressed the button to open the door but it didn't respond and he checked the jewel powering the elevator to find it flickering. "It looks like there's enough energy to make a call. Hopefully someone will come help us soon."

"We're trapped here?" Erika started to panic and Kyouya didn't understand why she looked so scared. Even in the dimming light, he could tell that her face was pale. He knew that she was forcing herself to calm down as she forced her breathing to be even. Instinctively, he placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest.

"… It's alright." Kyouya never had to comfort a woman before so tried to think of the best way to reassure her. She shook against him but he was glad that it was gradually lessening. "I said that you can hold onto me if you're scared as long as you don't hold on too tight. Just close your eyes."

"Is our date cursed or something?" Erika whispered to herself as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Stupid, these are just coincidences." Kyouya pinched her cheeks. He didn't know why there were so many mishaps and he hoped that he could get one thing right before the day ended. He sat against the floor and patted the space next to him, telling her to sit. She did and moved towards him like a lost puppy.

Kyouya thought he felt a sudden chill and he stiffened. Erika looked up at him in confusion. He didn't want to worry her so placed a hand over her head, "I just got this weird feeling."

As the feeling left, his phone rang and he saw that it was Takeru. Kyouya didn't know why he was calling so picked it up. Takeru immediately spoke when he answered. "Did you get my message? Nozomi and I wanted to cheer you on so Sanda helped us communicate with you telepathically."

_So that's why the feeling was so cold, Sanda was the one sending the message._ Kyouya thought. He knew that Sanda was still angry with him for leaving Erika in the rain that those feelings came through in her message. "Idiot, what's the point of sending me a message with magic if you're just going to call me five minutes afterwards?"

"I just wanted to wish you luck on your date. Do your best and show Erika how much you love her," Kyouya and Erika blushed since Takeru was so loud Erika could hear him clearly. "Remember this is your first date and you need to act like a gentleman. I know it's hard for you to be honest but-"

"Look, Takeru, I know you're trying to help me but wouldn't it have been better to tell me this yesterday instead of in the middle of the date?" Kyouya interrupted him, not wanting Takeru to embarrass him any further. The man never seemed to know then to stop.

"I'm sorry! Just tell me all about your date when you get back." Takeru hanged up and Kyouya sighed in frustration. He was surprised when Erika starting laughing, all the tension leaving her body. Seeing her laugh, he could see the humour in the situation too and laughed with her.

"Takeru really is a good friend, isn't he?" Erika noted how different they were yet how close they were as well. "How did you two meet? A story might make time pass quicker since we're stuck here."

"I used to call him an 'ally to justice' to make fun of what a good guy he was." Kyouya eyes looked far away as he started to tell her about his days in high school. She didn't expect him to tell her about his past and realized that this was the second time he was doing so. Kyouya thought that it was surprisingly easy to tell her about himself, knowing she wouldn't reject him.

"I didn't have many friends since I pissed a lot of people off. I'm pretty sure Takeru was the only friend I had. A couple of kids were ganging up on me and Takeru just came in like an ally of justice and defended me. He was the first to help me…"

"That seems like something he would do," Erika nodded.

"I thought he was a fool going into someone else's business when he could've been hurt." Kyouya laughed to himself. "I was right. We both get the crap beat out of us and ended up in the infirmary. We got bandaged up and I thought that would be the last time we'll talk to each other.

"After that, he started to pester me every day and it just became natural for us to hang out with after a while. I was surprised that we laughed a lot while we were together. I wasn't the most pleasant person to be around and I was blunt but Takeru didn't seem to mind. You see, I wasn't the perfect prince I pretended to be now."

"I always wondered why you took up that persona." Erika admitted.

"It was because Takeru asked me to," Kyouya answered her and her jaw's dropped. "I've been having a lot of trouble in school and he said he was worried about me since we would be going our separate paths after high school. We were growing but he was still my friend so I didn't want him to worry about me.

"So I pretended to be the perfect prince. If he saw that I was getting along with people, he wouldn't have to worry about me. In a way, it helped me too. Guys stop picking fights with me if I don't say anything. Even if girls still surrounded me, they're not catty if I rejected them gently. After a while, pretending to be a prince became easy to me. Everyone liked me."

There was something sad about the way he said his last statement and she placed her hand over his in the darkness. "Takeru and I love you for who you really are."

* * *

"The air feels so fresh," Erika breathed in deeply once they were free. It was dark out night but she was glad to be out of the cramp elevator. She would never understand machine when one could use something more reliable like magic. Even if the machine was powered by magic, she didn't think magic would fail her on such an important date like her first date.

"It's nine," Kyouya checked the time and sighed. He knew that there wouldn't be much to see at the park since he originally wanted to have quiet lunch with her and watch the scenery but they couldn't enjoy it in the darkness. They would have to return to the dorm soon and he didn't know if they had enough time for the last thing he had planned.

"Let's go!" Lightly taking her hand, he pulled her away.

"Where are we going? The park's the other way," Erika pointed out.

"I know but that's not where we're going. Just follow me," Kyouya said instead of answering him. She trusted him so let him led her but still wondered where they were going as they boarded a bus. Erika sat beside him and once again asked him where they were going. "Herbis tower. I made reservation for us there. If we run, we should be able to make it on time."

"Herbis tower?" Erika's eyes shined. "My mother said that the view is beautiful but it's hard to get a reservation. How did you arrange it in so little time?"

"Takeru has an uncle that works there and I asked him for a favour. Everything I've planned went wrong today so I want to end it right at least. We haven't eaten so hopefully this won't go wrong too," Kyouya looked out the window and watched the passing buildings. "It'll take us half an hour to get there by bus so you can rest until we get there."

"I'm really excited," Erika nodded but found that she was a little tired. A yawn escaped her mouth and it was echoed by Kyouya's. She leaned against him and her eyes started to drift close. "A lot of things happened today, didn't it?"

"Yeah," Kyouya wanted to continue to talk to her but her voice seemed to lull him to sleep.

* * *

"Excuse me," Someone shook Kyouya's shoulder and he woke with an irritated groan. The weight on his shoulder shifted and he looked down to Erika waking as well. She sat up straighter and rubbed her eyes. The voice came again and he faced at the bus driver. "Pardon me but this is the last stop. You need to get off now."

"The last stop?" They both became fully awake. Kyouya left the bus quickly and tried to see where they were but knew that there was no way they could make it to their reservation. It was already past eleven and he groaned. In the end, he couldn't even get one thing right. He groaned and didn't know if he should turn to see Erika's reaction.

"That was the last bus…" Kyouya couldn't believe their luck when he checked if there was another bus that could take them home. He sat on the bench and ran his hand through his hair. "You gotta be kidding me. I really can't think of anything else that could go wrong."

Erika made the strangest noise as she sat next to him. She laughed. He didn't understand why she was laughing and studied her face. He was sure that she had gone crazy when she hugged her stomach. Her laughter wasn't fake since her eyes still brightened like it usually would. "If you think about it, it's kinda like a miracle in an odd way."

_She always finds a way to smile, even in a situation like this_. Kyouya thought and reached out a hand to place on her cheek. "I'm sorry our first date turned out like this."

"Don't apologize," She leaned into his hand. "I'm happy as long as I'm with you and all the thought you put into planning it means a lot to me. Neither of us could've known about the mishaps beforehand. It wasn't so bad since I got to learn more about you. I think we did alright for our first date. My mother always said that it's best to laugh off misfortune."

"You're right." Kyouya chuckled beneath his breath. He didn't know when it had become so easy for her to lift his mood. He stood from the bench and held out a hand to her, "It looks like we have to walk back so I hope you're ready."

She nodded and they started to walk back towards the academy. As they turned the corner, Erika noticed someone walking ahead of them and she looked familiar. She turned when Erika called out to her and they recognized the old woman they helped earlier in the day. She greeted them with a smile and asked, "What are you doing out here so late?"

Kyouya didn't know why but the woman seemed different than before. She looked the same but the way she held herself wasn't the same. Erika didn't seem to notice as she explained their situation. The woman looked at them with sympathy and handed Kyouya the bag she was holding. "This might help you get back to your school. It's the least I can do to say thank you for helping me."

"We really can't take this from you," Erika said quickly as Kyouya pulled out a large carpet from the bag. He was surprised that the large carpet fit in the tiny bag but when he spread it out, he recognize the design on the carpet. He looked at the woman more intently but she only smiled secretively at Erika.

"It's a magic carpet and you should be able to use it to fly home. You don't have to worry about returning it to me since I've been planning to throw it away anyways." The woman insisted. Kyouya debated what to do when he noticed that Erika was wearing heels. He couldn't make her walk in them and unfurled the carpet. Without looking at her, he muttered beneath his breath.

"Thank you, I really appreciate this." Erika was still hesitant and he gave her a gentle push so that she sat on the carpet. He kept his eye on the woman as he sat next to Erika. The woman gently touched the carpet and it lifted into the air. Its sudden movement made Erika hold onto him.

"I hope we meet again," Were her parting words as the carpet flew away.

"What a kind lady," Erika told Kyouya but he looked lost in thought. She knew she should question the woman's appearance more but told herself that it must've been pure luck. Her mother did say that good things happen to one who did kind deeds. "At least now we don't have to worry about walking back to the academy. Our date did ended good after all, didn't it Kyouya?"

"I guess," Kyouya ran his hand over the familiar carpet and didn't know if he should tell Erika the truth since it would only worry her. He looked back to the woman but she was already gone. He pulled her closer to him and let himself enjoy the night sky rushing past them. _It's been a long time since I've flown on this magic carpet but I can't remember it being this fun._

* * *

**I have to admit that I've had this ready for a week but then I read the extra chapter explaining Kyouya and Takeru's past and just needed to tie it into the chapter since it was so cute. I've been pulling my hair out trying to reorganize the chapter to fit it in until I just went: 'screw it, this chapter's going to be long as shit' XD**


	15. Kiss in the Rain

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

Kyouya was lost in thought as he stared at the picture without seeing it. He recognized the pattern on the track and tried to place where he saw it. But once he started to look through his photos for an answer, their weight made him pause. He already knew where the carpet came from so why was he trying to confirm it?

"Damn bitch," He threw the photos in his hand away carelessly. Kyouya knew that old woman that gave him the carpet wasn't the same one they met earlier that day. He already knew who she was but knowing only raised more questions. She cursed him and continued to make his life hell but she helped him.

He wondered how long she had been following him and Erika on their date. His fists tightened when he thought of everything that went wrong that day and didn't know how many of those incidents were her fault. Thinking of how she almost ruined his first date with Erika annoyed him. If Erika was like other women he knew, she would've hated the date and left him.

Some of the anger he felt left him when he remembered how soft her eyes were when she told him that she enjoyed the date despite everything. Those eyes always seemed to have a strange effect on him and he was slowly starting to accept that fact. She had her faults and strengths but he knew there was no other woman for him.

"Man, I'm hopeless." Kyouya ran his hand through his hair when he realized his thoughts had drifted to Erika when he should've been concentrating on the wolf. He didn't tell Erika the truth about the woman since he didn't want to worry her. He didn't want to involve her in his curse since he knew she could be reckless. "It's better if I protect her from this."

"Kyouya, can you teach me this spell?" Kyouya quickly put away the photos when he heard Erika call from outside his home. His window was open so her cheerful voice carried to him easily. He placed the box back on his shelf before she came into the door. She was breathing heavily but she didn't show any sign of fatigue as she held out a grimoire to him.

"Oh, you spread out the magic carpet?" Erika noticed that the carpet the old woman gave him was laid out on the living room floor. She had to admit that she liked the addition and made her bare feet feel warmer. It was also a memory of their first date and wanted to think that he kept it for that reason. She knew that it wasn't the case but it still made her smile.

"She said she was going to throw it away but it's still in good shape so I decided to keep it." Kyouya lied after a moment of trying to think of a way to explain to her why the carpet was in his home. He couldn't tell her that he wanted to confirm the carpet was given to him by the same person that cursed him. "If it looks stupid I'll throw it away."

"No, I like it!" Erika stopped him. She sat on the carpet before Kyouya could roll it up again. When she ran a loving hand over the fabric, Kyouya knew he couldn't throw it away like he was planning to. He had to admit that the carpet made the room look warmer. He sat next to her and she pulled out the grimoire she bought with her.

"Do you know the kind of magic the person who cursed you used? It might give us a hint to how your curse works and how to break it. This grimoire has every kind of magic there is!" Erika's eyes glowed as she flipped through the pages and the grimoire created an illusion of each spell she pointed to. "Maybe one day I'll be able to use these spells too."

"You still have a long way to go before you can even try these spells," Kyouya took the book from her before she could get carried away. While magic was enchanting, he knew that it could also be dangerous. She could hurt herself by using a spell her body wasn't ready for. "If you're a good dog and practise really hard maybe you'll be able to cast one of these spells."

"Calling me a dog again? You're so mean Kyouya. I'm your girlfriend now so you need to be nicer to me." Erika pouted and Kyouya laughed at her reaction. He didn't know if he would ever tire of her expression and that made him want to tease her all the more. Even if he did so in a slightly sadistic way he didn't know how else to express his feelings.

Kyouya lay back on the carpet and pretended to ignore the question. When he stopped responding, Erika wonder what was going through his mind and carefully moved next to him. She poked his cheek to get a reaction from him and he raised a brow at her. "You're becoming too forward. You already got me to be your boyfriend so you don't need to bother with my curse anymore."

"Why are you saying this now?" Erika frowned at his words. She had the sinking feeling since he would've insisted on using her to break his curse in the past. "I told you that I wanted to help you and that's not going to change. Getting together isn't the end of the story when it comes to relationship. I'm going to continue supporting you weather you like it or not."

"Enough about my curse," Kyouya rolled onto his stomach and picked a grimoire at random. He tried to think of a way to take her focus off his curse. "There's a test coming up soon and you need to pass so focus on yourself for now. You don't need to worry about me."

"But I will worry because I love you!" Erika insisted and Kyouya didn't know how to react beyond blushing slightly. He tried to hide it by turning away from her. He knew that she was only being honest and she was too innocent to know how her words affected him. "I promised that I'm not going to leave you so don't ever tell me to do that."

"You talk too much." When Kyouya turned to face her, he found that her face was so close to his that their noses were touching. She realized how close they were too and blushed. As she started to pull away, Kyouya placed his hand on the back of her neck to stop her. Trying to be gentle, he pulled her closer and kissed her lightly to distract her.

Erika closed her eyes when she felt his lips on hers and leaned into him. Whatever thoughts or argument she had left her mind and they were quickly replaced by thoughts of him. She knew that he was trying to distract her and hated it since she was powerless to stop him. Even though he wouldn't be able to hear her, she begged him not to pull away from her in her mind.

Kyouya intended to stop after one kiss but any good intention left him when he felt her familiar heat. It was so warm and comforting that he wanted to drown himself in it. He didn't know how long such intense feelings could last but he couldn't let them go.

He almost laughed at his past self who wouldn't even let himself act on the feelings, believing that they were fleeting. Kyouya still didn't know if he was right in putting his faith in love when he already saw how it ended for his parents. He didn't want it to be the same for them so he needed to protect her and the haven she gave him. He didn't know how long he could keep her from his curse but he would try.

* * *

Trying to wake herself up, Erika rubbed her tired eyes. A yawn escaped her but she refused to let herself fall asleep. She didn't understand why but Kyouya had been evading the issue of his curse but she still wanted to help him. She borrowed several history texts that referenced famous figures who were cursed to see how theirs were lifted.

"Why are you so stupid Kyouya?" Erika lay back on the bed when she found that she couldn't concentrate on the history scriptures anymore. After such a wonderful date, she thought that they would continue to grow closer but that wasn't the case. While he showed her affection, she felt as if he was holding himself back. What if they went back to how they were?

"I won't let that happen," Erika whispered the promise to herself. After everything, she refused to let their love fade. There were times where he would disappear and not tell her. She doubted that he was seeing another woman since he was so stubborn to fall in love with her so he wouldn't easily fall in love with someone else. She was just worried about him.

Erika sat up and opened the window to breath in the night air. She leaned her head against the window frame and wondered what Kyouya was doing. He was probably sleeping but she still wondered. With tie, she found her thoughts filled with him and knew her dreams would be too. Would he dream of her too?

"Like that would happen," Erika laughed to herself softly. He wasn't the most romantic person but she knew he loved her. It showed in every kind action he did for her. Just thinking of their first date made her heart warm with love. This was the feeling her mother always told her about and she was glad she found it with Kyouya.

As she thought of their date, something occurred to her. Throughout that entire date, he hadn't once said that he loved her. In fact, she couldn't remember once he told her directly that he loved her. Erika tried to think of a time but not one came to mind. They were dating now and she felt his love in every action he did but she couldn't help but feel the need to hear it.

Erika knew that he wouldn't say it if she asked him directly and wondered if he would ever tell her on his own accord. She leaned back against the window again and looked out at the night sky as she tried to think of a way to make him say those three words without forcing him. She felt as if he was keeping from her and didn't want to push him away more.

"What are you doing up so late?" Erika looked down and was shocked to see Kyouya standing beneath her window. She stared at him for a while since she wondered if her thoughts summoned him. How else could he know that she wanted to see her? "We have class tomorrow so you should be sleeping. Seriously, I don't know how you got into this school when all you do is daydream."

Kyouya said in a teasing tone. He couldn't sleep and decided to take a walk through the night since he knew that no one would be around to disturb him. Most of the animals were asleep as well so his curse gave him peace for a moment. As he walked, he thought of Erika and how he wanted to have her by his side. She had become so important to her that a night without her felt strange.

"What are you doing up so late, anyways?" Kyouya asked her when she continued to stare down at him. Erika realized that she let an awkward silence fall between them so tried to smile reassuringly at him. Tilting her head down, she could feel love making her heart light and she wanted to hear those words from him. "I love you, Kyouya."

Kyouya didn't know why she was saying that out of the blue and chuckled. "I already know that."

Erika held her breath and waited for him to say the words back but he didn't. He only gave her a soft smile as he turned away from her. "I should get going before your house mother comes to check up on you. Get some rest or else you'll be slower than usual tomorrow."

_I know you love me but why can't you say it for once? I wish you would just tell me that you need me too._ Erika thought to herself. She didn't realize someone was listening when she made that wish. Kyouya disappeared in the distance but Erika kept watching him. A bird landed on her lap and she realized that it was carrying a letter on its back.

* * *

Erika read the letter repeatedly but the words didn't change and she didn't know what to tell Kyouya. She knew she had to but she didn't want to put him on the spot with the letter. The previous day she would've asked him the moment she got the letter but now that she realized that he hadn't said he loved her yet, she was hesitant. "Why are you so stupid Kyouya?"

"Is that any way to talk about your boyfriend?" She felt something hit her head softly and Erika knew that it was Kyouya before she looked up at him. He was the only person that spoke to her with a strange mixture of teasing and sadistic.

"Kyouya?" She looked up at him but stopped when she noticed he was wearing glasses. He looked so different yet still familiar and she didn't know how to react. He noticed her staring and sighed as he sat in the desk next to her. He waited for her to speak first and it didn't take long for her to do so. "I didn't know you wear glasses?"

"I wear glasses," He repeated. She stared at him curiously but he didn't understand why wearing glasses made her look at him so intensely. To be honest, he didn't like wearing his glasses because it was a silly flaw he didn't like having.

"You really look cool no matter what you wear. Can I try them on?" The compliment from her threw him off so he didn't react in time before she took the glasses from his face. Her movements were quick but gentle so he couldn't slap her hands away. Her face became a blur and he tried to grab his glasses back. Even if he couldn't see her clearly, he could hear her.

"Good magic Kyouya, you're blind!" Erika couldn't believe the strength of his glasses. She took them off and saw that Kyouya's face was blushing even as if his eyes showed annoyance. She realized that she must've hurt his pride and tried to reassure him. "I guess even someone perfect like you has a flaw but that can't be so bad."

"Just give me back my glasses," Kyouya held out his hand and she knew that he was irritated. Not wanting to make him angry, she tried to hand him back his glasses. The moment she placed the glasses on his desk, ice formed over them and Erika panicked. Kyouya could barely see his glasses but felt a familiar magic when he touched the ice. "She already cursed me and now she wants to make me blind?"

"Don't worry, I'll get your glasses back!" Erika took out her wand to cast a spell but he stopped her by placing his hand over hers. If the wolf was connected to the ice, and it most likely was, he needed to keep her from it. She tried to protest but his intense eyes stopped her. She wanted to be able to read those eyes but the only thing she knew was that he was holding something back.

"Class is about to start," Kyouya sat in his chair and she felt a wall appear between them. She was aware of Kyouya looking off in the distance and Erika wondered if he would be okay without his glasses. His desk was now clear and there was no trace of the ice of his glasses. If it was connected to his curse, why did he stop her from helping? That was the reason he was first interested in her.

* * *

"Kyouya!" Erika ran forward and hugged Kyouya's waist to stop him from walk into an opening door. It wasn't the first time she stopped him from doing so and wished that he would let her guide him. How could he possibly think he could continue through the rest of the day practically blind? He couldn't answer any of the questions the professors gave him and he was likely to hurt himself.

"Erika, I need you to let me go so I can go to our practical spell class," Kyouya gently pried her arms from around him. She became more worried since the class taught many offensive and defensive spells used in battle. If Kyouya couldn't see the spell, how could he defend himself when the professor paired them off to practise the spell?

"You can't be this prideful, Kyouya." She whispered to him harshly, trying to put as much anger as she could into her voice she he would understand her position. He couldn't see her face clearly and he wondered if she was looking up at him with concern or pouting stubbornly at him. "Practical spells is our last class so how about we just skip it?"

"I'm not so incompetent that I can't so something as simple as attend a silly class. Anyways, if I want to graduate, I need to attend the classes. I might not use magic ever again but I wasted too much time on the entrance test to just drop out of school. I've been taking care of myself for a long time now so you don't have to worry about me."

"But I love you," Erika didn't yell the words but they echoed in Kyouya's ears. He could hear the concern in her voice and easily pictured it reflected in her eyes. Someone as innocently kind as Erika was bound to be hurt but now he didn't want to be that person.

"I have a spare pair of glasses at home. We still have some time before class so we can go get them." Kyouya told her and held out his hand to her. When she didn't take it immediately, he whispered. "Aren't you going to lead me? If you rather I walk home by myself, then I'll be leaving now."

"No," Erika took his hand quickly. They were a couple so people wouldn't question why they were holding hands and Kyouya was glad since he didn't want others to know about his bad eyesight. Holding her hand felt strange though, it was a different kind of vulnerability but also strength. "Don't worry, Kyouya, I won't let anything happen to you."

"You're taking this too seriously. It only takes ten minutes to walk to my home so nothing should go wrong." Kyouya told her but a part of himself was worried too. Why was the wolf causing him trouble on such a typical day? It wasn't the anniversary of when he cursed her and he couldn't think of any important even tied to both the date and his curse.

People were staring at them but Kyouya was concentrating on matching his steps to Erika's. He noticed that she was purposely keeping her steps slow and he felt a sting at his pride. Ever since moved in with his father, he had been living alone and it became difficult for him to depend on anyone. He wasn't totally blind but she was treating him so.

"We're outside of the school now," Erika told him as they walked out of the school. The area was almost empty since most of the students were already in class and Erika was glad that she didn't have to worry about someone stopping them. They walked a little further and she kept her hand firm around Kyouya's. "The ground's a little elevated here so be careful."

"Okay," Kyouya didn't hesitate before following her direction and stepped over the crack. Her heart beat faster at the thought that he was putting his trust in her so easily. It made her feel happy and she wanted to protect him even more, even if it was from himself. "I might not be able to see but I can tell you're grinning like an idiot. What are you up to?"

"I'm not up to anything." Erika said quickly. She felt something small and cold fall onto her head and looked up to see dark clouds gathering. It soon began to rain and she looked around for a shelter. Taking his hand, she pulled him under a small canopy. Once they were safe from the rain, she looked up at the sky. "I wonder if it'll stop soon."

"That witch must've cursed me with bad luck as well as an iced heart," Kyouya grumbled and was surprised when Erika laughed next to him. Erika squeezed his hand and he wondered if she realized that she was still holding his hand.

"You have good luck since I was able to find shelter so quickly. And didn't I tell you on our first date that I don't care what happens since being with you gives me more than enough happiness? And I'll prove even more that you're lucky." Her warmth around his hand left his. Then he felt something soft on his head and he realized she was using a cloth to dry his hair. "It was lucky that I brought this towel today."

"You should be taking care of yourself too," Kyouya's searching hands found her hair and found it wet. He remembered the image of her waiting in the rain for him and took the towel from her to dry her hair. It was surprisingly soft and his lingered more than it should've. She was staring at him so he quickly dropped his hand. "You need to take care of yourself. You're not my dog."

Erika burst out laughing and he couldn't understand her reaction. "Of course I'm not your dog anymore, I'm your girlfriend. That's why I'm going to protect you."

His eyes squinted to see her more clearly but only became more frustrated when he couldn't see her clearly. When she almost noticed him staring at her again, "You don't need to protect me. I don't think someone as helpless as you can help me anyways. Your magic is strong but the only powerful spells I've seen you do were defensive or illusions."

"Didn't I say before that you'll get yourself killed if you keep being so stubborn?" Erika remembered how reluctant he was to accept her help when she tried to help him while he was sick. She thought he would've been willing to open up to her by now. "And I remember protecting you and Nozomi from the Cerberus with my shield. I can protect you!"

"I don't want you to," Kyouya snapped back. He couldn't see her well but saw that she stiffened. She always threw herself into whatever she was doing and he didn't want to put her in danger. How could he tell her that without hurting her more than he was already doing? Why was she being so stubborn? He thought girls wanted someone to protect them and take away their worries.

Erika didn't want to fight with him but she didn't want to quietly give into him since it might lead to them growing apart. "Can't you just let me stand by your side for once? You already said that I'm not your dog anymore so I'm more than deserving of your trust. Why have you been avoiding me? You won't even let me help with your curse anymore."

"It'll just be a waste of time. My curse is becoming worst and you'll get pulled into it if you try to help me. That witch just wants to make me miserable and she might hurt you."

"I don't care if I get hurt if I'm able to help you!" Erika yelled over him. The rain fell heavier around them and it almost drowned out her words but he heard them.

"Well I care if you get hurt. Who the hell would want to put the woman they love in danger? I don't want you putting yourself in danger." Kyouya yelled back and she couldn't respond for a moment. She closed the space between them and grabbed his arm, asking him to repeat himself. "I said that I don't want to put you in danger."

"No, what you said before that. Am I… the woman you love?" Erika asked him and he realized that he referred to her as the woman he loved in his rage. Heat rose in both of their cheeks and Erika placed her hands over her mouth to hide her embarrassment. "That's the first time you said you loved me. I was actually a little worried since you never said it before."

"Idiot," Kyouya took her hands away from her face and pulled her into his arms. He wanted to see her clearly so he leaned closer to her but found himself falling into her eyes and kissing her. She wrapped her arms around his back and held onto him when he started to lean away. "Do you understand now?"

"Partly," Erika thought over how to convince him to let her help him. "You said you want to protect me because you love me but I want to do the same for you. Love has two sides. While you want to be supported your partner, you'll also want to do anything you can for that person. We're going to share out troubles now that we're in a relationship."

"But-"

"And I'm not going to hear any different," Erika cut him off by pressing her lips to his quickly. The constant love in her eyes was clear and he thought of his parents. Would they still be together if they shared their time and problem?

"Alright, I won't keep things from you anymore." Kyouya sighed and she grinned. They both stiffened when the bushes shook next to them and Erika quickly pulled out her wand. The wolf came out and Kyouya started to pull Erika behind him but Erika stopped him when she noticed that it was holding Kyouya's glasses.

It came towards them slowly and placed the glasses in front of them before running back into the forest. Kyouya didn't know if he should take the glasses but Erika didn't hesitate before taking them. He was confused why the wolf appeared to give him his glasses at that moment.

"Lean down Kyouya," Erika told him and she placed his glasses on his face as he did so. She slowly became clearer to him and the rain stopped entirely. "Can you see now?"

_Yeah, I can, and you're beautiful_.

* * *

**Sorry for taking so long to update but I've been busy. Luckily there's only three more chapters before I start on my next project and I'm a little excited about it.**


	16. Birthday Dinner

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

"Kyouya, are you doing anything this weekend?" Erika asked him and he could tell that she was nervous. She was holding something behind her back and her eyes shifted. Kyouya knew that she wasn't capable of doing anything bad so didn't know what she wanted to tell him. She was a little cute when she was nervous and he wanted to tease her.

"I'm sure you're going to tell me what I'm going to do on the weekend. I didn't think you would be such a demanding girlfriend," Kyouya knew that she was the least demanding out of the two. She pouted her cheeks but didn't immediately quip back at him. She looked indecisive for a moment and he was worried about what was going through her mind until she finally spoke.

"If you don't have any plans, are you willing to have dinner with me?" It was such a simple request that Kyouya didn't know why she was so nervous. She took something out from behind her back and held it out to him. "My mom sent me a letter inviting us to have dinner. You see, it's my birthday soon and we always have a special dinner. She suggested that you join us."

"It's your birthday soon?" Kyouya thought over the implication until the second part of her sentence caught his attention. He remembered the brief moment he meet her parents and didn't know if he could have dinner with them without it being awkward. He couldn't have dinner with his own family without it being awkward so how could he have a normal dinner with hers?

"I'll understand if you say you don't want to," Erika looked down at her feet. He was silent and he could tell that he was hesitant from the furrow developing between his brows. They had only been dating for a couple weeks so she understood why he wouldn't want to have dinner with her family. It was just a disappointment because the dinner fell on her birthday.

"I'll write to my parents and tell them that you're busy this weekend," Erika looked at the letter again and tried to think of a lie. She wanted to have dinner with the three most important people to her but she didn't want to put him on the spot. "I have to admit that it'll be lonely having dinner without you. I think this would be the first time since met that we'll be away from each other."

"Who said that I won't be with you," Kyouya forced himself to act calm and say the words. She stared at him confused for a moment before she smiled and hugged him. The smile that replaced her frown was the only reason he found himself agreeing to the dinner. He wasn't able to say that and gently pushed her away from him instead, "I'm only agreeing because it's for your birthday."

"I'm just so happy that you're willing to have dinner with my family. Don't worry, I'll ask my mom to keep it simple so you won't be overwhelmed." Erika told him and he didn't know if he made the right decision. The only thing he could do was hope he didn't make a fool of himself. Her eyes shined as she went on. "I'll write my mother to tell the chef to make your favourites so you'll feel more comfortable."

That was just like her to think of others. It was one of the reasons he fell in love with her, her heart. The least he could do was put up with a simple dinner with her family. Seeing her happy made him feel like he had the right choice.

* * *

"I'm glad to see that you're not nervous," Erika told Kyouya as they rode his magic carpet to her home. Her mother offered to send a carriage to them but she told her that there was no need. To be honest, she hadn't told Kyouya about her family and didn't want to shock him with the carriage. Even now she was still contemplating how to tell him.

"What's wrong?" Kyouya seemed to read her mood and pulled on her cheek to gain her attention. Lately, he found that she had been distracted. He thought that she was only concerned about the dinner with her family but she was still acting strange. "I thought you were the one that said we should share our worries so why are you being all quiet now?"

"I'm sorry," Erika shifted next to him before hugging her knees. Even while flying, she felt safe next to him. She knew that he wouldn't hurt her when she told him that she kept something so important from him but she knew that he would be hurt. How many times had he told her that he liked that she was different other girls who were insincere?

"I haven't always been honest with you," Erika finally convinced herself to tell him the truth. She needed to tell him before they reach her home. Kyouya stiffened next to her and she wanted to stop him from pulling away from him. "I'm really sorry I didn't tell you the truth sooner but I didn't want anyone to treat me differently, especially you."

Kyouya heard an alarm in his mind that almost drowned her voice. He didn't know if he should look at her to read her expression. She lied to him? He didn't think that she was capable of doing so yet here she was proving him wrong. He almost laughed at himself for falling in love so quickly and foolishly. For a moment he thought he didn't know her at all.

"I lied about my name." Erika's voice suddenly pulled him out of the ice walls he was quickly placing around himself. He looked at her finally and saw her nervously play with her fingers. "My full name is Erika Shinohara. My father is a powerful merchant and wanted me to marry a man I didn't know instead of going to the academy. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

Kyouya knew that her family was against her going to the academy but she never told him why. He recognized the family name easily since they were well known. He didn't know how to respond and Erika sighed next to him. "That's the face I didn't want to see. I knew you'll think of me differently if you knew about my family. I'm just Erika with you, not Erika Shinohara."

"Erika," He said her name hesitantly and she looked up him. Her eyes shined of honesty but they looked lost as well. She lied to him and he felt torn between believing that she had pure intention and thinking she hid the truth for an ulterior motive. It was true that her being of a higher class would've affected how he would act towards her but he couldn't understand why she would lie.

"I really am sorry Kyouya." How many times had she apologized since she told him the truth? "I was afraid to tell you and risk you hating me. Please, don't hate me."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Kyouya asked though he knew that it was because they were going to meet her parents and she wouldn't be able to continue to lie. He didn't know why he asked her when he already knew the answer.

"Because I didn't want to continue to lie to the person I love," Erika said in a small voice that he barely heard. "Are you angry with me?"

"I am angry," Kyouya admitted and she finally looked away from him. They were trapped on the magic carpet and she was aware of the awkwardness surrounding them. She was surprised when he placed his arm around her and leaned her head against his shoulder. "If I knew, I would've prepared more. I'm sure a man like your father wouldn't want someone like me with his daughter."

Relief showed in her face and she placed her hand on her chest. He didn't know what to think of her lie but didn't think that she would have any darker intent. "Don't worry, my parents will love you like I do. I just didn't want to shock you when we get to the estate. My mom told the chef to make a feast so I'm hope you're hungry. My father also wants to get to know you too."

"When you put it like that, I can't run away now." Kyouya started to feel anxious when she told him all the preparation her mother put into the simple dinner. From what she told him, Erika took on her mother's personality while her father was more serious. His parents also had conflicting personality and loved each other but his family was very different.

"Do you want to run away?" Erika asked.

"Yeah, pretty much. What guy doesn't want to run from his girlfriend's father? I'm sure your old man would try to find every opportunity to burn me alive." Kyouya laughed to himself and Erika told him not to exaggerate. He was glad to be able to feel more comfortable with her again but the small lie replayed itself in his head the rest of the trip.

* * *

"Welcome home, my lady." The footman greeted Erika when they landed in her family's garden. Kyouya's back stiffened when he saw how grand her house was. It looked like something pulled out of a fairy tale with its tall towers and large window. As soon as they stepped off his magic carpet, a maid rolled it up and brought it somewhere.

"Don't worry, they'll just put it away in your guest room." Erika told him. He looked lost for a moment and she felt slightly guilty since she knew he was feeling out of place in her home. She took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"You're home, honey!" Erika's mother ran out into the garden and hugged her. He noticed their smiles were similar as they began to talk animatedly. If he saw them anywhere else, he wouldn't have guessed that they were a part of the Shinohara family. "Happy birthday, we have so much planned for you. I know you said you wanted something simple but I guess I got carried away again."

She finally noticed Kyouya standing beside Erika and smiled up at him. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it? Well, I'm glad to see you again and it seemed you have been keeping your promise from what Erika had told me in her letters. Oh, it'll be nice to be young again."

Kyouya wondered what Erika wrote in her letters since she started to laugh nervously and wouldn't meet his eyes. No doubt it would be overly romanticised with her imagination and tendency to exaggerate. It almost amused him, thinking of what she wrote and he felt himself becoming more comfortable.

"It's lovely to see you again." Kyouya gave her mother a princely smile. He held out a small bag he brought with him and was glad that he asked Takeru to make it. "I brought some cakes from my friend's store. I hope that it suites your taste."

"Erika you have chosen a good man if he knows to win us over with cake. Thank you, Kyouya. Come in, we can talk in the parlor. Your father is in his office but I'm sure he'll be down soon." Erika's mother took the bag from him and skipped into the house instead of them.

"You didn't have to go that far," Erika whispered to him as they walked into her home.

"They invite me over so it's common sense that I bring a gift. What kind of impression will I make if I didn't?" Kyouya told her and her heart warmed that he was putting so much effort into the dinner. She knew he could win people easily with his smile but he was trying to make a connection with her parents.

The interior of the estate was as beautiful as the outside. The high ceiling made him feel smaller but he kept his back straight so Erika wouldn't see how nervous he was actually. She led him into a much smaller room where both her parents were already waiting. While her mother smiled at him, her father's expression was much more guarded.

"Hello sir," Kyouya bowed to her father and was surprised when her father stood and did the same. "I'm sorry we didn't get to speak properly the last time we met."

"I'm regretful that we didn't get to meet under better circumstances. It was quite a shock to hear that my daughter was in the hospital so I wasn't able to introduce myself. I am Erika's father, Norio Shinohara. Do you drink coffee, Kyouya?" He gestured for Kyouya to sit.

"Yes, I do. Thank you," Kyouya tried to keep a polite smile on his face because he knew that her father was watching him carefully. Erika's didn't seem to be aware of her father's glare since she was talking with her mother animatedly. Her father also made sure to smile when she looked over at them. "Erika tells me that you're a busy man so I'm glad to be able to meet you today."

"I always make time for my daughter's birthday, what father wouldn't?" Her father said it casually and couldn't know it stung Kyouya. He couldn't remember the last time his father spared time for his birthday other than the occasional card. "Tell me about your family, Kyouya."

Erika flinched. Her father couldn't have chosen a worst topic to ask Kyouya. She tried to think of a way to divert the conversation but Kyouya answered simply, "My father works as an advisor so he's not usually home. My mother and sister live in the next town over."

"That means you're basically living by yourself?" Her mother asked and he nodded. "You seem like quite a level headed man and I'm glad I have someone like that looking after my family. I have to admit that we've spoiled Erika and she can't do anything for herself."

"Hey, mom, stop that. I help the chef cook dinner sometimes." Erika defended herself and Kyouya chuckled at her reaction.

"Erika actually cooked for me several times," Kyouya told her mother. "And I'm not perfect since I'm also sloppy when it comes to housework."

"But your room is always clean," Erika tilted her head to the side and didn't realize her mistake until her father place his cup down with a harsh click. He was smiling but his eyes could stare daggers through Kyouya. She had never seen that expression except when he was dealing with a client he didn't trust.

"Do you go to his room often, Erika? To a house of a boy that lives alone?" He asked Erika but kept his glare on Kyouya. Kyouya felt a chill run through him even as Erika innocently nodded and told her father that he helped her study. Her father's face relaxed but sent a vague glance to Kyouya that he couldn't read. "I see…"

"There's nothing for you to worry about, sir." Kyouya said quickly and wished he was facing the Cerberus rather than her father. "My mother taught me to be a gentleman and I wouldn't do anything to endanger Erika. She's a very talented wizard so I'm grateful you've allowed her to attend the academy."

"I see… Well, since you seem to be a good young man, I'll believe you." Her father's words should've made him less nervous, he felt more pressure. There was something intimidating about her father but he wanted to make a good impression for Erika's sake. "We have some time before dinner so is there anything in particular you want to do Erika? It's your birthday."

"Mom told me you two watched Kishibe's latest movie. If you don't mind watching it again, I'll like to watch it with everyone." Erika asked and her father didn't hesitate to agree. "Actually, Kyouya and I wanted to watch it but things came up and he missed the show."

"That's strange you would watch one of his movies on a date. Usually, the bloodier scene would keep you from watching it without us."

"Please don't treat me like kid, Dad. Anyways, I had Kyouya there and I knew he would make me feel safe." Erika told her father and her mother could tell the exact moment his heart broke when his brows drew together. "But I', glad we could see it as a family now. It's so nostalgic."

"If we're going to be watching a movie, I'll make us some snacks." Her mother stood.

"I'll help, Mom! I'll get some fruit from the garden." Erika offered and followed her mother out of the room. Kyouya wanted to stop her from leaving but didn't know how without being so obvious. The sound of the door closing rang in his ear. He was now left alone with her father.

_I can't believe she just abandoned my like that! What is she thinking?_ Kyouya thought to himself. He almost didn't hear her father call his name softly and hastily answered him. He stopped when he saw that her father looked much more solemn. "How long have you been dating my daughter?"

It had been only a couple months now but he couldn't answer her father honestly since Erika had told him that they had been dating for years. He was glad when her father spoke so he didn't have to. "Your four years of high school together. That's a long time but she never told me about you until now. The first time I met you at the hospital, I was surprised to see you."

"Erika was amazing that day but she was reckless," Kyouya remembered sitting next to her hospital bed and how he felt seeing her. Did he love her even then and was too stubborn to see it? How many times had his pride and curse put her in danger? "She's a great wizard as well as a woman. I still can't believe she's grown so much since the first day we met."

"I was surprised to hear that she was the one that protected you and that led her to be hospitalized." Her father said quietly but Kyouya knew there was rage hidden beneath. "I love my daughter but I know men like you see her as common. I have no stomach for a man only after her name and I'll rather have her marry into a family I know will treat her well. What made you interested in Erika?"

"… Whatever the reason is, I can't put it into words." Kyouya said honestly after a moment. He knew that it wasn't the answer her father wanted to hear but he didn't want to lie when it came to Erika. From the corner of his eye, he saw Erika in the garden picking strawberries. Even covered in dirt, he thought she was beautiful when she smiled. Unconsciously, he smiled too. "The only thing I know is I need her."

"I see…" Her father said slowly but Kyouya didn't know if he was just saying that or if he actually understood his feelings. He stood and walked to the door. Kyouya started to follow him but her father motioned for him to stay. "I'm just going to check on my wife. She can't be left alone with a kitchen knife since she's so klutzy."

Kyouya looked up when there was a scream from the garden and he looked out the window to see that Erika had dropped her basket. "I wondered where Erika got that trait."

* * *

"Man, they're ruined." Erika sighed as she placed the strawberries in the basket. A hand reached over her shoulder and helped her pick up the strawberries. "Kyouya?"

"I can't leave you alone for five minutes, can't I?" Kyouya didn't sound annoyed and he had a strangely content smile on his face. He reached out and wiped the dirt from her cheek. "You look like a puppy that just dug up a bone."

"You're so mean, Kyouya."

"That was your punishment for leaving me alone with your father. Man, I'm tired now." Kyouya sighed but took the heavy basket from her. They started to walk back to house together. "I can finally relax now that your father isn't looking at me like he's ready to kill me. Don't ever abandon me again."

"I won't," Erika laughed. "So what did you two talk about?"

"How you're failing magic." Kyouya teased and she reacted just like he thought she would. "Don't worry, he was just curious about his daughter's boyfriend."

"I guess that makes sense," Erika nodded. "I love my dad but I always felt more comfortable talking to my mom about these things. He might be strict but he doesn't complain about how loud I can be sometimes but then again my mom's even louder than I am. But I'm sure he likes you because I'm the one that chose you, after all."

"That would be nice if it was true," Kyouya looked down at her smile and wanted to believe her.

* * *

"Dad, it's time for dinner! Oh, are those the pictures of me as a kid," Erika went into her father's study and found him looking over an old album. Her father nodded and her eyes softened as she looked them over. "These bring back memories. But you better not show them to Kyouya, I'll be so embarrassed."

"That's something your mother would do." Her father said with a small smile and stood. He placed the album back carefully and went into the dining room where his wife and Kyouya were already waiting. Erika immediately sat next to Kyouya and blushed and he complimented her dress. While Kyouya smiled politely the entire time, he didn't know what to make of his daughter's boyfriend.

"The food is delicious," Kyouya compliment and her mother beamed at the compliment. The three started an animated conversation and it was different from the usual birthday dinner her father was used to. He drained his wine glass as he listened to their conversation. "My friend's family actually owns a small café and we usually eat there."

"Kyouya, I'm sure your parents taught you that meals are supposed to be eaten quietly." Her father put down his glass with an audible click. "I don't see why you're acting so friendly when I haven't given you my blessing. Or do you think that you're above me?"

"What's wrong dad?" Erika sensed his mood change quickly. "Why are you so angry? Did Kyouya do something wrong? I'm sure it was all a misunderstanding and-"

"Erika-" Kyouya tried to stop her before she could spark an argument with her father.

"And you!" Kyouya was interrupted by her father. "She's a Shinohara so don't speak so familiarly with her. Do you think I can't see through your smile? What kind of gentleman would bring a young woman to his home unchaperoned? What did you do to protect my daughter when the Cerberus attacked? Erika's my only daughter and I'm not going to give her to you."

The candles flared to life in reaction to her father's anger and Kyouya was quickly to pull Erika away from the growing flames. He pulled out his wand and chanted, "_Extinguetur ignis aqua vertex_."

The water he summoned put out the fire but he quickly felt the curse's effect and slumped against Erika. She caught him and threw a glare at her father. "Dad, you're the worst. Kyouya could've gotten hurt. All I wanted for my birthday was for everyone to get along but we should've never come! Kyouya, are you okay? I'll take you to a room you can rest."

* * *

Kyouya felt something cool on his forehead and opened his eyes. He found himself sleeping on Erika's lap with her wiping his brow with cool towel. They were on a cushioned bench in the garden and it was night already. He wondered how long she had watched over him because her face visibly relaxed when she saw that he was awake.

"Thank goodness. I brought you out to the garden since some of these plants have healing abilities and the fresh air would help you. I'm really sorry about my dad, he gets easily drunk and emotional. But even if that was the case, he didn't have to yell at you like that. I'm so angry with him right now that I don't know if I'll ever forgive him."

"Don't say things like that," Kyouya reached up and gently pulled her closer so their eyes met. "Look, it really doesn't bother me so don't hold it against you dad. You have a good relationship with your parents so don't ruin it. You'll feel empty if you lose your family. So go and forgive your dad."

"But you got hurt protecting me and my dad still yelled at you. Why aren't you angry?"

"Because I get how he feels. When our daughter gets a boyfriend, I'll probably be ten times worst to him. I'm lucky he wasn't worst. He might look calm but I bet he was lonely thinking that his daughter was leaving him. Seeing me in the flesh probably made it feel real to him. You're important to him."

"I know that," Erika felt the rage leave her. She grinned down at Kyouya when a thought came to her. "I must be important to you too if you already thought about children. 'When our daughter gets a boyfriend,' I'm sure she'll find someone special like I did."

"Sheesh, you always look too much into the silliest thing I say." Kyouya turned away from her, blushing. She laughed and he pulled her closer once again so he could whisper in her ear. "But even if your father said he wouldn't let us be together, I'll find a way to steal you away. There's no way I'm going to give you up."

"I probably wouldn't be able to wait for you and break out myself," Erika brushed his bangs from his eyes. His crimson eyes shined in the darkness and they were softer than when they first met. He took her hand gently and with his other hand he pulled out a bracelet from his pocket. Without a word, he wrapped it around her wrist.

"Happy birthday, Erika. I know that it's not much but I hope you like it."

"I love it," The charm was a carnation and she was reminded of the flower he gave her on their first date. It wasn't extravagant but it was more precious to her than diamonds. She touched the protection necklace he gave her as well and beamed down at him. "Now I've received two things from you."

Kyouya quickly sat up when he heard footsteps and carefully positioned himself in front of Erika. Her father stood in front of him and quickly bowed to Kyouya. He didn't know how to react to the powerful man bowing in front of him. "I'm sorry for how I behaved. I let my emotions get the better of myself and said rude things to you. I heard what you said and I know you really care for my daughter."

"Please lift your head sir," Kyouya said quickly.

"Um… if you'll like we can try to have dinner again. We have a lot to discuss," Her father started cautiously. Though their interactions were awkward, Erika knew that they were on their way to becoming closer. She hugged both of their arms and started walking back to the estate.

"Let's go back and have cake. This is the best birthday ever."

* * *

**Man that was a long chapter XD to be honest, some of my favourite chapters of the manga are the ones where it has Kyouya be more vulnerable. **


	17. Shattered Illusions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

Kyouya collapsed onto the bed, tired after his trip to Erika's home. He saw Erika off at her dorm earlier that night but he couldn't fall asleep when he returned home. Looking up at the moon, he wondered if Erika was having a better time sleeping. Her family was fun but after he left, he felt rather empty.

He sat up in his bed and went to his bookcase to pick a book to read. He would rather study than dwell on issues out of his control. She grew up differently than he had and seeing her family reminded him of his. Her parents were busy with their life like his so why were they together while his separated? Did it really it really matter in the end?

He planned to graduate from the academy quickly and move far away from his family. He didn't know where but he knew that he didn't want to stay in his father's home alone anymore. He hadn't voice this to his family except his sister and she already voiced her opinion about his plan. Kyouya wondered if his parents would be against it too. Did they still care?

"The unconditional love of a parent," Kyouya laughed at the phase and went back to looking for a book to study. Even if his curse didn't allow him to participate in normal evaluation, he was able to do well on the written test. He still needed to break the curse before the final evaluation since it required him to perform several spells.

If the magic council found that he had been cursed, they would arrest him and demand to know who cursed him. Despite how much he hated the witch, he knew he wouldn't give her to the council. They would no doubt charge him with treason if he refused to name her. Him being cursed was already a black mark against his character in their eyes.

If they did discover his curse, he wondered what would happen to Erika. Hopefully, she would move on and find someone else. It was her dream to graduate the academy and bring people happiness with her illusion. He would only be holding her back if his curse was discovered. Thankfully, only a handful of people knew about his curse.

He took one of the books down from the shelf and his box fell as he did so. Kyouya knelt down to pick it up and was glad that the box didn't open. Even though he shut away the pictures, he opened the box to make sure that none were damaged in the fall. Looking over them quickly, Kyouya saw they were as he left them long ago.

He placed them in the box when he moved to his father's home but never found the time to frame them and place them around the house. Looking around his living room now, he found little hints of life Erika left behind. The carpet and little items she forgot at him home. She had made his home feel so much warmer and he didn't even realize how empty his home felt until she came into his life.

Then he remembered her lie and shut the box. They met because of her lie but since she had shown him that she was different than other girls. He didn't know what to make of her lie since he hesitated to say that she would betray him. But lying about her name wasn't a simple lie and she kept it from him since the first day they met. What else could she be hiding from him?

"Don't think about it," Kyouya told himself and turned back his attention to his book. It didn't matter that he already knew more than enough about magic, he just needed something to keep his mind of the cold starting to form in his heart again. How many nights had he spent studying like now to keep his mind off his pain?

"You were always a bright student, weren't you Kyouya?" Kyouya looked up from his book to see the wolf lying contently on the magic carpet. He gave it one glance before turning away to ignore it. The pain around his heart grew as it came closer to him. "Studying magic when you hate it? I don't know why anyone would fall in love with someone who constantly contradicts himself."

"I'm just studying to escape this damn place," Kyouya didn't know why he was bothering to explain himself to the witch that cursed him. "Once we find a way to break your burse, I'll leave this house and this will be the last conversation we have. You can't make me stay and we both know that it doesn't matter if I left. Nothing will change since that day."

"I'll care!" A powerful icy wind turned the pages of his book violently but he didn't care because he wasn't concentrating on them. He sighed and closed the book. It was obvious that the wolf wasn't going to leave. "Do you really think that I would bother with you if I didn't? If you're still this stubborn you can stay like this for all I care."

The wolf started to trot away but Kyouya stopped it. "Fine, I don't care what you do to me but stop threating Erika and my friends. They're innocent in this. I swear if you so much as touch a hair on Erika's head no curse will be able to stop what I do to you. No one hurts what's mine, not even you."

"Strong words for such a weak man. Maybe there's hope for you yet if you're able to let yourself care for that girl. Maybe she can show you an illusion you can believe in like I couldn't. I'll look forward to speaking with her in the future and learning what kind of woman you fell in love with is."

The wolf phased through the wall before Kyouya could continue. He clenched his teethes and stared out the window. He didn't know what the wolf was planning but he knew that he would protect Erika. Even if what they had turned out to be an illusion, it felt too real to give up.

* * *

"Kyouya!" Erika waved to him when she saw him walk towards her. It was a tradition for them to walk to school together but this time felt more special because she woke to note from him. It appeared on her bedside and she recognized his writing immediately. It was short but it made her happy. _Be careful on your way to our meeting spot._

"It's way too early in the morning to be this active," Kyouya grumbled when she threw herself at him and wrapped her arm around him. He lowered her to her feet but she smiled up at him and he couldn't keep a scowl on his face. He blushed and poked her forehead, "What got you so excited this morning?"

"You should know," She took the note he sent her out of her bag and held it to her chest. "This is the very first love letter you ever sent me! I'm going to cherish this and show it to our daughter one day. You know, you're surprisingly romantic at the most unexpected times."

"You over react too much," He took the note from her and put it in his own bag.

"You're the one that brought up having a daughter first," Erika reminded him and he couldn't deny it. The fact that he thought so far ahead with her surprised even himself. Seeing her father made him wonder what kind of father he would be with his own. He didn't have the best parents to model himself after but he had to admit the thought of a miniature Erika intrigued him.

"Don't tell me what I said," Kyouya tried to think of a way to change the topic. She laughed at his reply and found that his comments didn't hurt her now that she knew how he really felt. Feeling playful, she hugged his arm. At first he pushed her away but he saw her frown and took her hand. "It's too warm for hugs so you'll have to content yourself with this."

"It has been getting warmer these days, hasn't it?" Erika leaned against him, making sure not to be too clingy. It was almost Spring and she thought of all the things they could do. Picnics would be much easier and festivals were usually held to celebrate the changing of the season. Just being able to experience things with Kyouya excited her.

"Are you listening to me?" Kyouya voice brought her out of her fantasy and she awkwardly admitted that she hadn't heard him. It wasn't a surprise to Kyouya since he knew that she was daydreaming from her content expression. She blushed and he could only guess what she was imagining. "I don't even want to know what you're thinking so don't tell me."

"I'm sorry," Erika didn't know how he would react if she told him that she was imagining the different kind of dates they could have. "What were you trying to tell me?"

"It's about the note I sent you yesterday." He told her and she blushed as she thought of the letter. Kyouya wanted her to be careful on her way to their meeting place but it was obvious she was too naïve to see any danger present. "I wanted you to be careful because the witch might target you. I won't always be with you so I need to know that you'll take care of yourself."

"Of course I will. Who do you think I am?" She placed her hands on her hips and Kyouya didn't answer besides chuckling. They both knew her strength was illusions but he helped her master several elemental spells. He would rather be able to protect her but knew that he couldn't be her shadow. "If I do meet the witch that cursed you, I'll fight her and demand to know how to break your curse."

"No," Kyouya could easily picture how a battle between Erika and the witch would end. Unfortunately, the witch was much more powerful and experienced than Erika. "If you do meet her, I want you to run. Think about yourself for once. Even if you won't run for your own safety, think of how I'll feel if something happened to you. You're my girlfriend."

"I'll think about it," Erika said after a moment. She wanted to help him and she was curious about the witch that cursed him. Who was she and what did Kyouya do to make her curse him? Kyouya sighed next to her and she was happy to see him worried about her. It was another reminder that he loved her. He might not say it all the time but he showed it.

"I'll need to talk to Takeru and Nozomi too. At this point, I don't know how far she'll go. To be honest, I'm getting tired of her games and wish that she'll just give up." Erika was surprised when he said that it was a game to the witch and felt anger erupt in her. "She's the most stubborn woman I've ever known. Don't know how I've put up with it until I left for the academy."

Despite his harsh words, there was a reluctant fondness in his voice. Erika jokingly said, "But I guess it was because of her that we met. Now you have more friends and people who care about you."

Kyouya didn't know if he should be thanking the witch even though he was finding more friends. The feeling Erika awakened in him was unfamiliar and slightly frightening. He couldn't go a moment without thinking about her. He was also worried about Takeru and Nozomi who he only met because of her. Looking down at their joined hands, he couldn't find himself not regretting it.

* * *

As Erika was putting away her book into her bag, she wondered if Kyouya was okay. He agreed to help Takeru with something but told her that it was something he couldn't tell her. What it could be played on her mind since he was always brutally honest with her. But if it was something both Kyouya and Takeru said they couldn't tell her, she would have to respect them.

Touching the necklace he gave her, she remembered how he told her to be careful that morning. Even though she couldn't imagine falling in love with him when they first met, she couldn't imagine her life without him now. They spend so much time together and it felt strange not having him by her side. "I'll just see if Sanda is finished with her council meeting and we'll hang out."

As Erika placed her bag over her shoulder, a woman she never saw before approached her. She was too old to be a student and Erika didn't recognize her as one of the teachers. But there was something familiar about her though she couldn't place where she saw her before. "Are you Erika Shinohara? I was hoping that I could have a word with you about the Cerberus attack. I'm from the council."

"Of course," Erika nodded. She knew that she couldn't refuse an order from a member of the council so followed her out of the classroom. Her badge was carefully placed on her cloak and Erika studied it for a moment. Why would the council be sending someone to question her about the Cerberus now when the incident was before Christmas?

"Pardon me, but what's your name?" Erika asked the woman. Her mother had several connections with the council so she could ask her about the investigation. If she could help it, she wanted to keep them from discovering Kyouya's curse since it was what caused the Cerberus to appear.

"Do you always speak to your superiors like this?" The woman's presence changed and Erika stiffened. She was smiling only a moment ago but now her expression changed. The atmosphere around her became colder even when they walked outside. The woman sat on the bench but Erika didn't feel comfortable sitting next to her. "Sit."

After a moment, Erika did so but kept her distance from the woman. "The magic circle was supposed to summon a troll but someone changed the magic script on the circle. It was a shock to everyone but you were able to react fast enough to protect the students. Why didn't you run? You couldn't have known that your magic could do anything against a Cerberus."

"I had to try at least. Nozomi was there and so was Kyouya. I couldn't let either of them get hurt when I could protect them even if my barrier couldn't last that long." Erika told her plainly. She knew that if she were to go back to that event, she would do the same. She loved Kyouya then and that feeling only grew so she never thought about her action until now.

"That was a simple spell you did but you were able to use it to protect your friends from the Cerberus. You're surprisingly talented wizard for being so young." Erika didn't know if she was truly complimenting her because sarcasm tinted the woman's words. "Your teachers praised your magic and we've been keeping a close eye on you"

"Thank you," Erika only replied with the two words since she didn't know what else to say.

"It must've been your dream to enter into the academy but have you ever thought of what you're going to do after you graduated? A position on the council will open the world to you and you can use your illusions to help others. You do want to help others like how you protected your boyfriend."

"I haven't thought much about my future beyond making people with my illusions," Erika admitted. "But I don't know if I want to be a part of the council. That's a lot of responsibilities and I was thinking of traveling to show others magic. I don't think the council will accept a novice like me even if I graduated."

"Maybe they'll consider you if you were able to do something extraordinary. Something like break a curse," The woman's tilted a look at Erika and she jumped away. She thought of Kyouya and swallowed slightly. She spoke much too smoothly and an alarm sounded in her mind. Who was this woman? "You wouldn't know anything about curses, would you?"

"Of course not! Curses are forbidden and they're not taught at this school." Erika said quickly and tried to think of a way to escape the conversation without being obvious. "I'm sorry but I don't know anything about the Cerberus and I don't think I can give you any useful information. It's almost time for me to meet with my friend so I should be going."

Erika stood, not caring if she offended a council member, and ran to Takeru's café to find Kyouya. She looked back but saw that the woman continued to sit on the bench and stare up at the sky. Wondering about the woman, she didn't know if she should worry Kyouya when it could be nothing. But no matter how much someone offered her, she wouldn't betray Kyouya.

* * *

"That's a long letter you're writing to your mother." Kyouya looked over her shoulder. She had been ignoring him for the afternoon and he found it strange. She would usually pester him the moment he walk into the house and tell him what she did that day. But now she was silent and he found himself wanting to hear her voice again.

"I'm sorry," Erika quickly covered the letter. She wanted to tell Kyouya about the woman but didn't want to worry him. She decided to write to her mother to ask if she knew someone on the council that resemble the woman she met. If she did, Erika would tell him but if not… she didn't know. Putting the letter away, she sat up to face him. "What did you and Takeru do today?"

"Nothing special," Kyouya shrugged. He took a box from his bag and handed it to her. It had Takeru's bakery logo on it and she excitedly opened the box. She was surprised when she saw that the cake wasn't its usual perfection. In fact, it was lopsided and the decoration weren't placed professionally. "Are you going to eat it or continue staring? I spent an entire afternoon making this."

"You baked this?" Erika's eyes lit up.

Kyouya nodded and her smiled only grew in reaction. She stood quickly and ran into the kitchen. With a pair of forks and plates in her hand, she sat next to him again. Carefully, she cut a slice for each of them. "It's your cake, why are you giving it to me?"

"Because it's special and I want to share it with you." Erika poked a strawberry with her fork and raised it to his lips. "So this was what you and Takeru were doing. Thank you, Kyouya, I love you."

"You don't need to get so excited." Kyouya reluctantly ate the strawberry and found its sweetness didn't bother him like it did in the past. He couldn't say he loved it but he could bear it now. "Takeru kept saying that a good boyfriend would make a cake for his girlfriend."

"He told you that?" Erika laughed lightly and Kyouya wondered why. "It's usually that girlfriend that bakes for her boyfriend's birthday."

Kyouya twitched and knew that Takeru had tricked him. He thought of all the ways to get back at him for embarrassing himself in front of Erika. He tried to take back the cake but Erika slapped his hand, "You gave it to me so it's too late to take it back. Anyways, it tastes good. Not great, but still good. I guess even you can't be perfect at everything."

"You're too easily pleased," Kyouya took the strawberries from his cake and placed them on her plate. "Eat. You like them more than me, anyways."

* * *

Kyouya placed a blanket over Erika's shoulders. She came to his home to study but ended up falling asleep on his desk. Brushing her bangs from her face, he thought she looked stupidly innocent as she slept. She was so defenseless even when she was awake but he didn't know if he could protect her. "What am I going to do with you?"

"You could wake her with a kiss," Kyouya turned and was glad to see that it wasn't the wolf. Takeru was knocking on Kyouya's open window. Kyouya rolled his eyes at Takeru's words but also gestured for him to come into the house. Making sure that Erika was still asleep, he went to open the door for him. He didn't know why Takeru decided to visit him so late.

"Do you know what time it is?" Kyouya sighed as he opened the door but Takeru didn't seem to mind his tone. Kyouya was surprised when he saw Sanda and Nozomi followed Takeru into his home. Why were so many people coming into his home? He couldn't remember the last time he had so many people in his home. "Before you start gibbering, Erika's sleeping so keep it down."

"Who would've thought that the prince would have such a bad attitude," Sanda retorted. "It was getting late and the dorm mother will be angry if she's late again. I knew she would be here so I came to bring her back. I met Takeru and Nozomi on my way here."

"Nozomi and I wanted to know if Erika liked the cake," Takeru explained and Nozomi nodded in agreement. Kyouya didn't know how they could get so excited and their behaviour was more like teenage girls than their actual age. "I've never saw you try so hard on something other than magic before."

"You really want me to kick you out, don't you?" Kyouya knew that Takeru was only teasing him. He went into the kitchen and brought out some tea for them as Erika would do for him. He thought if they were eating, they would be quiet. "And Erika told me the truth about this whole cake thing. You trick me to do something like that again I won't forgive you."

"But it made her happy, didn't it? And it made you happy when you saw her happy." Kyouya couldn't deny that he liked Erika's smile and Takeru grinned at his silence. "See, that's love. Who would've thought that the Kyouya I knew would fall in love?"

"I don't even want to know what you thought of me." The others laughed since everyone in the room was well aware of Kyouya's personality. Kyouya was aware of it too so was surprised that his home was filled with people now. He looked back into his room and knew that it was because of the woman sleeping on his desk. "I'll wake Erika so she won't get in trouble with her house master."

As Kyouya stood, he saw a carriage approach through his window. He didn't know how he knew but unease settled in his stomach and he went to see who was approaching his home. The three followed him as well but Kyouya stopped them when he recognized the crest on the carriage. It was the council. Thoughts passed through his mind that he barely heard, "What is it, Kyouya?"

Erika came out of his bedroom, rubbing her eyes. He looked from her to the window and knew that he would only worry her if he brought attention to the carriage. Walking to the door, he motioned for her to go back into his room. "I'll deal with it. Just stay here with Takeru and the others."

She rushed forward and grabbed his arm before he could leave. "We work together, remember? We're all here for you so you don't have to face them alone. I'm sure they're not here for your curse so let's stay calm. There's no way they could know about you."

Kyouya couldn't push Erika back into his room before there was a knock on his door and they both knew they couldn't ignore it. His eyes told her to not do anything rash before he went to answer the door. A man in a cloak stood on the other side and Kyouya recognized the crest but it did nothing to calm him. "Is there a problem sir?"

"Are you Kyouya Sata?" The man asked even though both knew the other already knew the answer. The man walked into his home without a word when Kyouya nodded. He barely gave Erika a glance before he addressed Kyouya again. "I'm from the council and I'm here to speak to you about something. Maybe it's best if you send your friends home."

"Kyouya's a good guy so if you have something to say to him then you can say it to us." Takeru stood and Kyouya stopped himself from chastising him. While he was grateful for his words, Kyouya knew that Takeru shouldn't argue with a council man so openly. "Whatever you think Kyouya did, he didn't do it?"

"It's not what we think he did. Don't speak to us in that ungrateful tone when we only came to help you friend. Now, Kyouya, come with us and this whole mess will be over with. Dark magic like the curse placed on you is forbidden but I'm sure the council can learn a lot from studying the spell placed on you."

"But Kyouya isn't cursed!" Erika lied quickly and placed herself between Kyouya and the man. Her knees shook since she didn't know if he would believe her lie. The tension in the air was so thick that she could barely breathe. What could she do to help Kyouya is the council took him from her? "I don't know why you think he is but you're wrong."

"How can you suggest that we're wrong when you're the one that told us about your curse?" He pulled a letter from his pocket but was so shocked by his words that she didn't take it from him. Kyouya reached over her shoulder and took it instead. After he scanned it quickly, he recognized Erika's writing. The letter was addressed to her mother so he didn't think much about it until his eyes fell on the word, curse.

"I-I-" Erika didn't know how to respond but knew that she had to say something. Kyouya stared at the letter but his eyes didn't focus on it and that made her worry. She didn't write the letter to the letter and she would never betray Kyouya that way knowing the consequences. "I don't know who sent you that letter but it wasn't me!"

"Why are you being so indignant? You wrote your mother about your boyfriend's curse and she passed on this information to us. You're a Shinohara, think about your family's reputation." Erika stepped back. Reminding Kyouya of her family name wouldn't help her since she lied to him about it. "You did the right thing telling us, Miss. Shinohara. Your standing in this school won't be jeopardized now."

"I guess I have no choice now that you know the truth." Kyouya sighed and stepped around Erika. He didn't glance at her as she passed and she knew that he believed the council man. Not wanting to let him leave thinking that she betrayed him, she hugged him.

"Kyouya, I did write to my mother but not about your curse. You can't really believe that I would do something like this!" Kyouya looked back her then but his eyes were cold like when she first met him. His hands were gentle when he placed her away from him but the action felt like a slap to her.

"I guess you really weren't different, after all." Erika couldn't stop him again after he said those words. Tears started to chock her and she couldn't stop them from falling. What could she say to him now that he saw her like the other women in his life? He said he loved her but that turned to distrust so quickly she didn't know what to say.

"Wait," Takeru all but tackled the council man to stop him from taking Kyouya away. "I might not know Erika for long but we both know that she wouldn't tell anyone about your curse."

"And even if she did tell someone, I'm sure that it would be unintentional like she did with me." Nozomi came to her defence as well. Even though they continued to argue with Kyouya, he didn't react to any of their words. It was clear nothing they could say would change his mind about her. He didn't even question the council man before he damned her.

"You never trusted me, did you?" Erika finally forced words through the tears chocking her. He said he loved her but how much truth did those words have if he could distrust her so easily? She thought of all the times he hurt her but thought they were worth it since he also made her feel loved. But those meant little now that it became clear to her how little he trust her.

"I'm sick of this… I'm so sick of this! I love you but I can't take this anymore. You can believe me or not but I'm through being your wolf girl anymore." She said the words quietly at first but then screamed the words so he could hear her clearly. Even though she wanted to keep her voice stern, her tears wouldn't allow it. Not wanting to let him see her cry, she ran blindly into his room.

Slamming and locking the door behind her, she didn't let Sanda follow her. She needed time to think but the only thing she could concentrate on was her heart breaking. Why was she so stupid? Why couldn't she stay ignorant to the fact that, despite him saying he loved her, Kyouya would never trust her?

The coldness in his eyes still burned in her memory. He believed she betrayed her. Erika never felt so alone in her life and sank to the ground. What was she going to do now? She loved Kyouya and those feelings weren't something she could abandon easily like he did. The fantasy she had of a man that loved her was shattering around her.

He had never loved.

"_Poor child,"_ Erika looked up to see the Wolf outside of Kyouya's window._ "Would you like your sweet illusion back?"_

"Please," Erika felt her body move without her consent and she walked towards the wolf. Her body became numb from the cold but she knew that it was the pain Kyouya caused her rather than the any magic the wolf could process. Opening the window, Erika climbed out and followed the wolf deeper into the forest. "I just want that sweet illusion."

* * *

**Well that was long. To anon, this is almost over but there's one more chapter. It wouldn't be logical for me to end it in the last chapter since there's still so much left unanswered and unresolved. **


	18. Mending Bonds

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters**

* * *

Kyouya watched Erika storm into his room and he almost followed her but stopped himself. He couldn't leave the council man waiting for long without him becoming angrier. Hopefully, if he went willingly, the council wouldn't hurt him. More than that, he knew that he didn't want to see her at the moment.

He shouldn't have been shocked. But he was, even if that feeling lasted only a moment before he buried it under ice. Traces of emotions fought against it but he refused to let himself fall into the same trap again. How many times did he need to be fooled before he learned? He was already aware of several lies she told but he thought her incapable of lying.

Takeru tried to stop him but Kyouya shook his head. While Nozomi had magic, Takeru had no way of defending himself against a council man. Even if that wasn't the case, Kyouya didn't want to involve his friend any more than he was already. Kyouya laughed to himself since he knew he wouldn't have to worry if Erika hadn't told her mother about his curse.

Even though he told himself that he wouldn't look back, he did. He couldn't see his bedroom window from the carriage and he wondered if she was crying. His cold attitude was his way to push her away but did he really want to leave her? He thought he didn't but that was disillusioned by the fact that she told the council about his curse.

_She was only trying to help you_, A voice in his heart defended her and stopped him from climbing into the carriage. Erika wrote to her mother for help but that didn't mean she intended to hurt him? She may tell lies but she was hopeless as an actress and he could easily tell when she was false. There was nothing false about the hurt on her face when he accused her of betraying him.

"I'll go with you willing but I want to speak with my girlfriend first." Kyouya stepped down from the carriage. He knew that the council man wouldn't let him go if he merely asked so pushed past him. He needed to see her and hear that she betrayed him so he could go without wondering if he was wrong. Like he thought, the council man grabbed his arm.

"What would be the point? I doubt you want to stay with her when she betrayed you by telling her mother your secret. You said yourself that she's like every other girl so why are you bothering to see her again. We don't have time for this, we need to question you about the witch that cursed you and see what can be done about that black magic inside you."

"This will only take a minute," Kyouya pushed the man's hand off his arm. He didn't know what to think of Erika anymore since his heart and his mind believed different things. He needed to see her one last time to know for sure so tried to walk back to her. "I just want to see her face one last time before you take me away. Can't you allow me that?"

"Why?"

Even if what they had was only another illusion, Kyouya found himself responding. "Because I love her, and I need to hear why she wrote to her mother."

"She's just another woman that uses love as an illusion to trick fools like you," the man laughed but stopped when he found himself facing Kyouya's wand. They both knew he was cursed but the fire in Kyouya's looked deadly enough to silence the man. To Kyouya's surprise, the man started to laugh. "You really have changed, haven't you Kyou? You're even more of a fool then you were back then."

Snow began to storm around them and Kyouya stepped back when he recognized the magic laced into the snow. The councilman's cloak moved violently in the snow and Kyouya knew who he truly was. With a spell to counter the snow, he was left facing the witch. The curse caused him to stagger but the witch only gave him sad smile. "I thought that you could see a sweet illusion for what it really is."

"Erika!" Kyouya didn't bother to listen to the witch go on before running back into his home. He called her name and tried to open his bedroom's door but it was lock. The moment he saw that the council was the witch, his worry turned to Erika. But once he forced the door open, he found his room empty. Traces of snow were on the ground and the necklace he gave her lay among them.

A chill ran through him as he tried to think of where she could be. He needed to find her before the witch did. With that thought in mind, he went to the box he kept his photos in and took out the charm Erika gave him. The image of Lime appeared but when he reached out to her, she backed away from him. Even though Lime was an illusion, Erika gave it the traits of a dog.

"Lime, I'm sorry for abandoning you but I need your help to find Erika. I promise that I'll never leave you again." Kyouya opened his arms to the dog and it hesitantly climbed into his arms. Kyouya knew that gaining Erika's forgiveness wouldn't be as easy but he was going to save her. He took out the necklace and held it in front of Lime. "Can you follow her scent?"

Lime barked and ran out of the room. Kyouya didn't hesitate before following it into the forest despite the storm starting around them. He needed to save her, she needed him.

* * *

"Erika!" Kyouya continued to call her name over the roar of the wind. If Erika was in the forest, it would only be a matter of time before she got pneumonia so he desperately followed Lime. He only spoke with the witch for a moment so how far could she have gone into the forest? He felt as if he had been running for miles and the storm was only getting worst.

Lime stopped and started barking at the ground. Kyouya brushed away the snow and saw that they were standing in front of a magic barrier. Cautiously, he reached out his hand and was able to pass through. "Wait here, Lime. I'm going to save Erika and come back."

Kyouya entered the barrier and found that he was in a familiar park. The scene around him reminded him of the time he first met Erika as a child but he knew that he was in another illusion. In the distant, he could see Erika sitting in the distant with the wolf next to her. Anger erupted in him and he pulled out his wand to cast a spell. He only stopped when the wolf moved closer to Erika.

"I didn't think you would do something as cowardly as hide behind another woman." Kyouya snarled. He walked towards the wolf but kept his eyes on Erika. Her face didn't show any emotion and he wondered if she was another illusion since the Erika he fell in love with was always vibrant with emotions. "Let her go. I'll do whatever you want but don't hurt her."

"All I want is for you tell me the truth behind a sweet illusion," The witch appeared behind him. She pulled out her wand in defense when Kyouya tried to cast a spell instead of answering him. Before he could cast the spell, Kyouya felt ice form in his heart and the pain caused him to fall to his knees. "Now is that the way to greet me after we haven't talked in person for so long?"

"So you're not another illusion," Kyouya tried to ignore the pain his heart. She casually waved her wand towards Erika and he quickly moved to place himself between them. He took her arm and tried to pull her away but she refused to move. "C'mon Erika! We need to get out of here."

She shook her head and he scowled at her refusal. He didn't know if his voice could reach her of if she truly refused to leave with him. Finally she spoke, "I want to stay in this illusion."

Kyouya turned to the witch and demanded, "Break the spell you placed on her!"

"But this isn't my magic, it's yours. When you took away that illusion she had of you, she created something to replace it. I might've helped her create this but you pushed her to this place. What illusion can you offer her now?"

"I'm not an illusion and I'm going to stay by her side!" He turned to Erika and shook her shoulders. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you but I know that you never intended to betray me and you didn't write that letter. Please, come back to me. I know I'm not the perfect prince but I'm real and so are my feelings. You don't need an illusion when you have the real thing right here."

Erika didn't respond and Kyouya could feel her body grow colder. He tried to pull her out of her illusion. "I'm sorry I pushed you away. I know you didn't send that letter and I'm sorry I doubted you for even a moment. You're the most honest person I know."

He whispered into her ear, "I know that I'm a selfish person for asking you to stay with me but can you say that an illusion is better than what we have? Sometimes illusions can be cruel or warm and used to trick people but it's not real in the end. I love you and I'm going to give you anything if you come back to me. Please… I need you. You're more than a sweet illusion, you're my world now."

She finally looked up at him but her eyes didn't focus on him. Just as the snow seemed to stop around them, hail began to gather above them. Feeling helpless, he tried to protect her with his body. Her arms moved around him and he felt her magic surround them. Her hands clutch his cloak tightly and a powerful wind kept the hail from reaching them.

"I'm not going to let you hurt Kyouya!" Feeling a weight lift from his chest, Kyouya leaned away from her to check if she had truly broken free of her illusion. When he saw her clear eyes focus on his, he hugged her again. Her small frame was warm and he knew he would protect her. When they finally leaned away from each other, the snow around them had melted.

"Who would've thought such a young wizard would be powerful enough to break my illusion." The witch clapped slowly and Kyouya quickly placed Erika behind him. Erika quickly looked over his shoulder so she could see the witch. She didn't know what she expected of her but she didn't expect the woman to be so beautiful. She was also the council woman she met the previous day.

Erika nudged Kyouya. "That's the witch that cursed you?"

"Yes, that's my sister." Kyouya stated. Erika didn't know how to respond and the woman starting laughing when Erika didn't react to Kyouya's statement. He stood and faced his witch of a sister. She might be his family but he didn't know if he could forgive her for what she did to Erika. "Let's end this, Reika. Break the curse you put on me or else-"

"Wait Kyouya!" Erika ran around him and stood in front of his sister, as if to protect her and Kyouya didn't know why she was defending her. Her eyes pleaded with him and he knew that her kind heart wouldn't allow anyone to be hurt. "She's your sister and family loves each other. I'm sure she'll break your curse without you needing to threaten her."

"My family isn't the same as yours," Kyouya said softly but lowered his wand. Erika relaxed when she saw Kyouya do so and turned to his sister. She couldn't see many similarities in their appearances. But Erika knew that Kyouya wouldn't lie to her about the woman's identity. But Erika couldn't understand why his sister would curse him.

"You already started to break it though," His sister walked past Erika to stand in front of Kyouya. He stepped back since he didn't feel comfortable seeing again after so long. Even though she was smaller than him, she had a presence that intimidated him. "You're finally able to see her for more of an illusion. I must say that I'm surprised you were able to see the truth."

"We did it, Kyouya!" Erika cheered when she realized that Kyouya could use his magic again. She jumped into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. It felt awkward to Kyouya since his sister was still watching them. "We'll be able to graduate together and travel the world to bring people happiness with our magic!"

"Not quite yet, there's still one more thing I want you to do before I lift his curse." She stated and turned to Erika. "I think it's time for you to meet our family."

* * *

"If we're the ones visiting, why am I carrying your luggage?" Kyouya grumbled as he glared at the many bags his sister thrust upon him. His sister was a member of the council and visiting his mother as well. Erika felt sorry for Kyouya so offered to help him carry some of the bags. Before Kyouya could reject her offer, his sister his slapped him.

Erika gasped but Reika went on. "Don't even consider doing something so selfish. Didn't father raise you to be a gentleman and carry a girl's bag? I don't even know why you're here since I only wanted Erika to meet mama. Be a good brother and carry your sister's bag. I am only a fragile girl, after all."

"There's nothing fragile or feminine about you," Kyouya muttered. Erika saw a spark in both of their eyes and tried to think of a way to stop them from fighting. They only just reached his childhood home. Before they reached the front door, it opened and a woman walked out. She was surprisingly young, maybe only in her forties, but her presence quieted both Kyouya and Reika.

"You're home Kyou-kun! I didn't think Reika was telling me the truth when she said that you would be visiting with your girlfriend. You must be Erika. It must've been long journey and I hope it wasn't too much trouble. I'm Kyouya's mother," She smiled at Erika and she was glad that his mother seemed to be normal. She turned to Kyouya, "It's been a long time. How have you been Kyouya?"

"Normal," was his only answer. He walked into the house and placed his sister's bags onto the floor. Erika followed him and wondered if he was truly cold towards his mother or if he didn't know any other way to act. She remembered the present she brought and tried to lessen the tension by holding out the basket to his mother.

"I brought this for you! I know that it's not much, just wine and cheers, but I didn't know what you would like." Erika stuttered and Kyouya almost laughed since her flustered face was adorable to him. Seeing her innocent reaction made him feel at ease. Only she would think that a wine basket was a modest gift. Maybe spending a night at his childhood home would be easier with her by his side.

"It's lovely," His mother accepted the basket. "Dinner is almost ready so we can have a quick drink after we eat. It's been so long since we had a family dinner together, I made both of your favourites. Now, neither of you will be able to fight during dinner. Reika, come and help me set the table. Kyouya, you should relax with your girlfriend and show her around the house."

"The rooms are upstairs," Kyouya took Erika's bag and led her to the stairs. They walked down the hall until he stopped at the door. He opened the door to his old room and was surprised to see that it was untouched but free from dust. "We don't have a lot of rooms so you can sleep in my old room. I'll sleep on the couch. Erika?"

She didn't respond and turned to see her studying the many pictures lining the wall. There were many of him and his sister when they were younger but none of them after his family divorce. If Erika didn't know the truth, she would've thought that they were a happy family. It broke her heart, thinking of Kyouya's childhood being so lonely. Did he feel abandoned?

"You don't have to feel sorry for me. The past is in the past." He wrapped his arms around her from behind. She reached up and touched his warm hands, remembering how cold they used to be. His mother seemed to be a kind woman so how could their relationship become so distant?

* * *

"Look at this photo of Kyouya when he made his first snow rabbit with magic!" His mother fawned over the album she was showing Erika. They had already eaten dinner and his sister almost immediately took out the album to show her. Kyouya sat a distance from them, not feeling comfortable enough to interrupt them despite how his embarrassment was accumulating.

"Aren't you three drinking a little too much?" Kyouya forced himself to interrupt them when he realized that Erika was starting to drink her second glass. He never seen her drink before but he doubt her small body could hold much liquor without becoming drunk. "It'll be a pain if you have a hangover tomorrow. Just because I'll take care of you, don't depend on it."

"How did anyone ever fall in love with you with that behaviour?" His sister reprimanded but then she started to laugh which Kyouya knew the best thing to do was run and take Erika with him. Before he could, his sister went out. "You need to tell mama how you two fell in love. I've been watching you but I want to know what made you fell in love with my brother."

"I really didn't mean to fall in love. I actually hated him when I first met him. He called me a dog for magic sake!" Erika told them but she laughed to herself so he knew that she was drunk. Even though he wanted to hear why she fell in love with him, he doubted it would be anything coherent because she was drunk. His suspicions were confirmed when she exclaimed. "He's like a puppy!"

"That's it, you're drunk and you're going to bed now." He pulled on her arm but she fought his grip.

"Let me say this!" Erika insisted. His sister and mother encouraged Erika and Kyouya wanted nothing more than to leave. A wistful smiled spread across her face. "It's kind of complicated because there are things I love about him but he does have his flaws. I don't love those flaws but I don't hate them either."

"That makes no sense. And how am I a puppy?"

"Maybe not a puppy, but you're certainly a dog in your own right. You always act up when you want attention. Whenever I'm in danger, you protect me like a guard dog. Then there's the fact that he won't go near you until you gain his trust but when you do, he's loyal to you. I don't think I changed him, I think that he's able to be his true self now. A little sarcastic and brutally honest but kind."

"That's wonderful." His mother smiled at Erika's answer. "Kyouya does remind me of his father. They can't communicate with their feelings. Actually the festival where he proposed to me is tomorrow. We used to go with Kyouya and Reika when they were younger. Maybe we should go there again-"

"I'm not a child anymore so why would a silly festival appeal to me? I'm tired from the trip so I'm going to bed early." Kyouya stood suddenly. Erika was surprised when he did so and tried to stop him but he was already leaving the living room. She didn't try to stop him when she saw his stiff shoulders.

"Wait, Kyouya!" His sister wasn't as hesitant as Erika. "You haven't been home in forever so you should sit and talk with your family! Get your ass back here-"

"Reika, it's okay. If he doesn't feel comfortable, we can't force him to sit with us." His mother stopped her. She winced when she heard Kyouya close his bedroom door despite him doing so as softly as possible. She placed her head on the table and muttered in a low voice before she started to nod off. "We can't really expect him to act any differently."

"It looks like she's asleep. She has actually been staying up worrying about your visit so I'm not surprise that she fell asleep. Erika can you help me clear the tables? You can take a bath while I take mama to her room after this." Erika nodded and started to gather the cups littering the table. She followed Reika into the kitchen and was surprised to see that it was so small.

They stood next to each other and Erika dried the plates while Reika washed them. While she lived with her parents, she helped the maids sometimes but speaking with Kyouya's sister while doing chores made the experience different for her. "I was hoping that Kyouya would eat with us but I guess that was expecting too much. That brother of mine hasn't changed a bit."

"I think that Kyouya just needs a little more time," Erika tried to defend him.

"It might take a century for my lessons to get through that thick skull of his. But I thought that he was learning and I wanted to have a nice, noisy family dinner like we used to. Mama has been blaming herself for his distrust of love and relationship so I thought it would be good for both of them if they talked again. They might finally be able to work things out."

"Kyouya told me that your parents separated but he hasn't gone into much detail."

"Of course he wouldn't. And if he did, he would say that it was nothing. Our parents had been separated for a long time but it's not a terribly sad story. They did love each other but they were young when they fell in love. They were both starting their life with their own dreams. They started to get so busy that they barely saw each other.

"When they discussed separating, there was no screaming, no tears. They both understood that they became very different people and decide that they shouldn't force old feelings. Kyouya went with father and I stayed with mama. She tried to visit him often but she was busy with her new job. When she broke her promise to see his magic show, she went to apologize.

"That was the first time he showed no emotion to her. He told her that he wasn't angry because it was what he came to expect from her- from any kind of relationship. I don't think any of us knew what do when he started pulling away. Mamma said she would only make his attitude worst and our father said he would get better with time."

"So in the end no one tried to comfort him." Erika had stopped wiping the plate a while ago and stared blankly at her reflection in it. She knew that Kyouya often tried to protect himself from cutting off his emotions. She could picture him wanting his parent's attention but not knowing how to ask for it.

"Mama always felt guilty about that. She said she abandoned her responsibilities as a mother and has no right to be one for Kyouya. So when Kyouya said he was going to leave after graduating, I knew that I had to do something before it was too late. I mess that up too but that's what anyone can expect from this family. At least mama and I can relax knowing that he has you to take care of him."

* * *

Erika stepped out of the bathroom, still wondering what she could do for Kyouya. Did he want help? She stopped in front of his room but hesitated to enter. Turning, she noticed that the walls were filled with pictures of when Kyouya was younger. Seeing him smile as a child, she knew that she had to help him. His sister only wanted her to meet his mother so why did he return with her?

"What are you doing standing outside my room like a stalker?" She felt familiar arms wrap around her and she didn't need to turn to know that it was Kyouya. He rested his chin on her head and glanced at the photo she was staring at. Taking her hand, he pulled her away. "We can talk in private in my room."

Erika followed him into his room. It was just as he left it but there was no trace of dust so Kyouya knew that it had been well taken care of. They sat next to each other after Kyouya choose a movie for them to watch together. "How did your girl talk go? You didn't bad mouth me to my sister, did you?"

"Of course I wouldn't!" Erika said quickly and Kyouya chuckled to himself. "It was fun talking to you mom and your sister but your mom get drunk and fell asleep pretty quickly."

"That's my hopeless parent," Kyouya laughed softly but it sounded bitter to her. The bitterness didn't sound sad to her but rather sad. He returned home when he didn't need to so he must want to work things out with his mother as well. She glanced at his profile and knew that he was thinking deeply from his expression. Not knowing what to do, she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You should dry your hair before you get yourself sick." Kyouya lifted a strand of her hair and her eyes met his when she looked up. He only meant to keep her from getting sick but he couldn't pull away from her when her large brown eyes kept him in place. The strand fell from his fingers when he cupped her cheek and slowly pulled her towards him.

Erika closed her eyes and felt the world slow around her. She wished that the world did stop turning around her so she could stay in Kyouya's arms forever. He was her perfect and sweet world and she wanted to make his world better. Erika only pulled away when someone knocked loudly on Kyouya's door. She looked over Kyouya's shoulder to see his sister standing in the doorway.

"I'm glad to see you together but can you be aware of your surroundings more so I'm not standing here knocking for ten minutes." She chastised Kyouya but he didn't give her much of reaction beyond shrugging his shoulder. "I just came here to invite you two to come to the festival tomorrow with mama and me. There'll be a lot of food and entertainment so it'll be fun."

"I'll go!" Erika said quickly, thinking that it would be a good opportunity for Kyouya and his mother to spend time together. She was surprised when Kyouya shook his head.

"I hate crowds so I'll stay home." Pain crossed his sister face for a moment before she huffed and left the room. Erika started to argue with him but stopped when Kyouya placed a cloth over her head and started rubbing her hair dry. "If you are going, be careful. I won't be there if you get lost."

"But-"

"We don't have a guest room so you can sleep in my room tonight. I don't trust my sister not to tell you weird things about me if you stay in her room. I'll sleep on the couch tonight." He kissed her briefly, knowing that it would make her too fluster to start arguing with him. He stood before she could recover and walked out of his room, leaving her alone with worry.

* * *

"You look wonderful, Erika." Reika grinned when Erika walked out of his room. She wore a lilac dress and Reika had styled her hair into a bun, kept in place by flower pins. Kyouya couldn't respond for a moment, taken away by how beautiful she looked at the moment. He usually saw her in her uniform but now she looked like a princess. "All the guys are going to love you."

"But I already have Kyouya!" Erika said, flustered. While her family raised her to be a lady, she didn't feel comfortable wearing the elaborate dress that was a tradition for the spring festival. "I wish that you will come with us, Kyouya. We can try all the foods and play the games."

"If Kyouya doesn't want to come, I'll just find better guys for us to spend time with." Reika shrugged and Kyouya's brow twitched. Despite knowing that he was walking into her trap but the thought of another guy flirting with Erika annoyed him. Even though he knew Erika wouldn't be unfaithful to him, he wanted to be there to protect her.

"Wait, I'll come." Kyouya quickly took a cloak before he could convince himself not to go. He didn't bother to change into a costume, thinking that his casual clothes would be fine. As he pulled on his jacket, his eyes met his mother's briefly.

"I just remembered I have something to do so I'll stay home. But enjoy your time at the festival." His mother said quickly and Kyouya didn't know how he felt about her once again abandoning him. She held out a flower pin to Erika. "I've always wanted to give my son's precious girlfriend a gift. Thank you for taking care of him."

* * *

"This crowd is already giving me a headache," Kyouya complained. How could he ever find the festival enjoyable when he was a child, he wouldn't know. Erika giggled at his comment and gently took his hand. When Reika asked him why he came if was only going to complain, he lied. "It was on a whim. Anyways, who else is going to keep Erika from getting lost?"

"You act like I'm a child." Erika pouted at him. She gently touched the necklace he gave her and grinned. "And you don't need worry about me since I'm always safe wearing this necklace."

"Isn't that the necklace mama gave us, Kyouya?" Reika recognized the necklace quickly. Their mother had given each of them a protection necklace and told them to give it to someone they loved. She gave Kyouya a knowing look while he tried to avoid the subject. "Don't lose that Erika. I'm surprised that Kyouya gave you that necklace instead of buying something flashier."

"I think this necklace is perfectly Kyouya." Erika glanced at Kyouya and he could feel her love in that simple look. "Like this necklace, the ways he shows he cares is simple and small but that doesn't mean the love within isn't there. He gave me this when he was worried I got lost in a storm. I'm sure that he could've given me anything then because it shows that he thinks and worries about me."

"No wonder whatever I did couldn't tear you two apart. You're stupidly smitten with each other." Reika laughed. "Be careful not to lose it if it's so important. When we were a child, she would show us how to create magical items. She created a necklace for each of us and told us to give it to someone we love. The necklace will protect that person."

Kyouya didn't comment but Erika knew that something was on his mind. Despite him saying that he didn't believe in love and family, he kept the necklace his mother made and gave it to her. Those simple actions told her that he was lying to himself about his own feelings. He wanted love and a family.

_By the end of the night, I'm going to help Kyouya make up with his mother!_ Erika vowed. It wasn't only for Kyouya but also for his mother. Taking Kyouya's hand, she pulled him towards a random stall. She was certain he had happy memories as a child and wanted to remind him of them. "This is my first time at a festival like this. What did you like to play when you were little Kyouya?"

"Kyouya was always good at catching goldfish. Mama always liked them so he would use his magic to catch one for her. The vendor caught on eventually and he wasn't allowed to play anymore. Kyouya cried for weeks after that!" Reika answered in Kyouya's stead. They laughed at the memory but Kyouya only grunted. "But since Kyouya's older now, the vendor shouldn't recognize him."

"I'm just going to get my clothes wet. Anyways, that game's for kids." Kyouya pulled her away from the stall. Not deterred but his curt reply, she pointed to another game. While his sister told stories about his childhood, Kyouya would brush her words aside. She wondered why he came to the festival with her if he wasn't going to enjoy himself.

"Look, they're selling candy apples! I'm going to buy some so wait here, Kyouya." Erika spotted a man selling the sweets. She spotted a mother and child buying some as well so she could easily see Kyouya eating some when he was younger. Even if he didn't like sweets, eating the snack was a tradition. She pulled out her purse and ordered. "May I have four?"

Kyouya watched her and sighed. Even though she could be enthusiastic, she was being much more insistent than usual. He could only guess why. Turning to his sister, he asked. "Can you not tell Erika such embarrassing stories about me as a kid?"

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed a man watching Erika. His intention was clear abut Erika didn't seem to be aware of his presence as he tried to catch her attention. Kyouya quickly walked to her side and placed his arm around her shoulder. "I'll pay for you, Erika."

"Thank you Kyouya." Erika smiled up at him. Kyouya's eyes were kind towards her but there was no hint of that kindness when he glares at the man. Erika stepped out of his arms and the irritation he felt quickly left him. She held out two of the candy apples to him.

"Here you go Kyouya. One is for you and the other is for your mother. Since you're here, you should try to speak with her more." Erika told him with an easy smile but he didn't return it. His brows creased and he started to understand why she was so insistent before.

"Really, Erika you shouldn't put your nose into my family business. Nothing's going to change and it's better to leave this alone. I know you're going to say that you're only doing this because you care but-" He started to snap but stopped when she quickly turned away. "Wait, Erika."

"I'm going to the bathroom so you don't need to follow me." She said quietly and Kyouya started to feel awkward. He wanted to stop her but knew that he would only say something stupid. He knew she would come back to him and decided to find her when they both felt less angry.

Erika looked over her shoulder to make sure that Kyouya didn't follow her. When she saw that he didn't, she left the festival to a quiet space. She wouldn't give up easily and wanted to them to speak at least once tonight. She stood on a riverbank and made a call to Kyouya's mother. "Mrs. Sata? I know it's not my place to say this but please change your mind and come to the festival."

"I would like to but I don't think Kyouya would want me there. It'll be more fun for him if I just stay home for tonight." She said quietly and Erika felt rejected. She thought that she could convince his mother if she couldn't convince Kyouya.

"Please come to the festival. Kyouya and Reika are fighting! I can't stop them so please come before they hurt each other." Erika lied, trying to think of a way to convince his mother to come to the festival. She spotted a group of people walk by so she stepped aside to let them pass. As she did so, her foot slipped and she fell into the water.

Quickly righting herself, Erika sat up. She found her phone quickly but it was clear that it wouldn't work since it was damaged by the water. Sighing, she stood so she could leave the water before she caught a cold. Out of habit, Erika went to touch her necklace but stopped when she realized that it wasn't around her neck anymore.

* * *

"Is she in there?" Kyouya asked his sister who came out of the bathroom. She shook his head and he only became more worried about her. After some time had passed, he went to speak with her but he couldn't find her no matter how desperately he searched. His sister wouldn't hurt Erika so there was a chance she could be in danger. If he had his magic, he would be able to use a spell to find her.

Where could she be? She had never been to his town before so she could become lost. He didn't want to hear a lecture from her but he would endure it if he got to see her again and quiet his fears. She didn't answer his calls, so there was nothing he could do was call her name. "I'm going to look again and see if she's still in the festival."

"Reika? Kyou?" They turned to see their mother staring at them confused. Kyouya started to walk away, more concerned with finding Erika, until she continued. "I got the strangest call from Erika. She said that you two were fighting and I needed to stop you two."

"When did she call you?" Kyouya asked.

"Just a moment ago," she answered. "I came as quickly as I could because I thought you two were fighting. I don't know why but I thought that it was strange since she asked that I come to the festival before she said that. I didn't want to think she was lying because she sounded so concerned. Where's Erika now?"

"We're trying to find her now," Kyouya said as he turned to search the fairgrounds again. His mother grabbed his sleeve and he was shocked by the determination in her eyes.

"I'll help! It'll be quicker if we do it together. I know that she's really important to you so I'm going to do everything I can to find her. Just leave it to me. If she's still wearing the pin I gave her, we should be able to find her." His mother walked ahead of him and pulled out her wand. With a quick spell, flowers started to grow in a path. Kyouya didn't bother to wait for the spell to be completed before following it.

He was surprised when he saw that a crowd had started to form around the river since it was often uneventful. But the flowers continued past the crowd so he forced his way through. When he reached the riverbed, he saw Erika in the river desperately looking through the water despite it being too dark for her to see.

"Erika!" Kyouya forgot common sense when he walked into the cold water. He took her shoulders so she would face him. At first he thought that the water had caused the wet stains on her cheeks but then he realized that she had been crying. "Are you okay? What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Kyouya." All the grief she felt from losing the locket started to burst from her chest. She turned back to the water and started to feel the river floor to search the necklace again. "I fell and it broke off. I'm sorry. You gave me something so important and I lost it. Your mother also made it and it's proof that you both really care about me. But I'll find it again."

"You don't need to, Erika." His mother came beside them and placed her hand on Erika's shoulder. "You haven't lost the memory or the feelings behind it. That is worth more than a simple charm I made. I can always make you two another one."

"But it's not that simple to me. It's another connection to Kyouya and I don't want to lose that." Erika looked down at her hands. Kyouya took her hand into his and felt how cold they were. How long had she been searching in the cold water? He already knew that it was useless to simple tell her leave so he sat next to her in the water and began searching as well.

"Stop staring and look for the necklace," Kyouya muttered when he felt Erika staring at him. "We'll get out of this cold water faster if we both look."

Suddenly she felt a soft heat surround her and realized that it was magic. Kyouya's mother had cast a spell over them. "What kind of mother would I be if I let my son get sick? I'll help you look too."

"Mama… thank you." Kyouya said quietly.

Reika smiled as she watched the three of them search the water with a smile. Occasionally Kyouya would stop and warm Erika's hands by rubbing warmth into them. Seeing the concern and determination in his eyes made her happy. She took out a paper curse doll and tore it in two. Sparks flew into the sky as the magic in the doll was released.

Erika looked up at the bright lights that appeared in the sky. The colourful sparks surround Kyouya and its light reflected in the water. Something gold glinted in the water and he pulled the locket from the water. Erika cheered and threw her arms around Kyouya. He let her cling to him and returned her hold. Too wrapped up in each other, neither seemed to notice that the light was caused by breaking the curse.

* * *

"After all that, she's out like a light." Reika chuckled as the group walked back. Erika felt tired so Kyouya offered to carry her home on his back. Soon enough she was asleep and drooling on his shoulder. She was fast asleep but kept the locket clutched in her hand. "She's a lot of trouble, isn't she?"

"She is but she's worth it." Kyouya laughed to himself. If only someone had told him the trouble and gift true love was a long time ago. He adjusted his grip on her so she wouldn't fall. She felt warm against his back and he was comforted by her presence.

"Mama," Kyouya started in a low voice. "It's Erika's dream to travel the world and bring people happiness with her magic. When I graduate from the academy, I'm going to join her. I can't leave her alone and I want to stay with her as much as possible. I love her and I want to start a new family with her one day."

"That's nice that you found someone like Erika." His mother said with a sad voice.

"But I won't forget my old family because I owe you a lot. So I'll try to visit more often."

* * *

**I might like the manga better than the anime but I felt like the anime tackled Kyouya's relationship with his mother better than the manga. This chapter is much longer than the usual but I didn't want to split it into two since it might break the flow of the chapter. So ends my first OSTKO fanfic and I tried to aim high because I love the manga.**


End file.
